Speculation ran rampant online after reports on Sunday claimed that a boat carrying actor-director Rishab Shetty and 20 crew members of Kantara: Chapter 1 had capsized during a shoot at the Mani Dam backwaters. Now, the executive producer of the film, Adarsh JA has clarified that no such incident occurred. “Contrary to reports, no boat capsized on our set. The team is currently shooting in the backwaters of the Mani Reservoir at Mastikatte, where a large boat has been erected as a backdrop. Due to the monsoon winds, the structure toppled. But no one was on it at the time — the cast and crew were filming in the foreground. There was no water sequence involved at all,” he said.
Stop linking every rumour to Kantara 2’ Dismissing claims that Rishab Shetty, cinematographer Aravind Kashyap, and others had to swim to safety, he noted, “That’s completely untrue. While we didn’t film in the water, we still took every precaution, securing all necessary permissions from the forest department, local police, KPCL (Karnataka Power Corporation Limited), and the panchayat. Speed boats, life jackets, and trained swimmers were also on standby,” he stated. He further urged people to “stop linking every rumour to Kantara: Chapter 1”. “We are working hard to deliver the best cinematic experience to audiences. We request everyone to allow the team to work without distraction,” he added.