Rishabh Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 has suffered another major loss. The popular mimicry artist, Kalabhavan Niju, who was known for his performance in Marco and Malikappuram, passed away. The actor’s demise has left the team of Kantara: Chapter 1 extremely heartbroken.
Kalabhavan Niju passed away at the age of 43
Kalabhavan Niju hailed from Vadanppally in Thrissur. According to a report by OnManorma, the actor passed away due to a heart attack. This is the third such death the film’s unit has seen since they began shooting. The report revealed that the actor died on the night of June 12, 2025, in Bengaluru, where he was shooting for the film, Kantara: Chapter 1. The actor was only 43 years old and didn’t have any known medical conditions.
Kalabhavan Niju complained of chest pain on the night of June 12, 2025, in Bengaluru, where he was staying at a homestay arranged for the film’s artists. Soon after he made the complaint, he was taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, he did not make it. Mimicry artist and a friend of Kalabhavan Niju, Kannan Sagar, confirmed the news and revealed that he was alerted about it at 10:30 pm on June 12, 2025, in a shared WhatsApp group.
Previously Rakesh Poojari died due to cardiac arrest at 33
The actor, Rakesh Poojari, was not of age and had been rising in the entertainment industry. However, on May 12, 2025, he suffered a heart attack and passed away. The actor had travelled to the Udupi district for a wedding ceremony when the tragedy struck. According to a report by India Today, Rakesh collapsed past midnight and unfortunately died before there could be any medical interference. Rakesh Poojari was attending a wedding ceremony and had also shared a story from the celebration on his official Instagram handle. He also posted a birthday wish for his sister. However, hours later, the news of his passing broke out, which left his fans stunned. It is interesting to note that Kalabhavan passed away exactly a month after Rakesh’s demise.
Before that junior actor, MF Kapil was caught in the cross current at Souparnika river
The stars do not seem to be in favour of Kantara: Chapter 1, as Kalabhavan Niju was the third actor to have passed away in a month. Before that, a 32-year-old junior artist, MF Kapil from Kerala was caught in the cross current at Souparnika river. Unfortunately, he could not be saved, and he passed away in May 2025. However, that is not all in November 2025, a minibus carrying 20 junior artists met with an accident in Mudoor, while they luckily escaped unscathed, the incident left many concerned. Prior to that an expensive set designed for Kantara: Chapter 1 was destroyed by heavy rain.
About Kantara: Chapter 1
Kantara: Chapter 1 is a prequel to Rishab Shetty’s 2022 film, Kantara. The film is produced by Hombale Films and is scheduled for release on October 2, 2025. Rishab will once again be seen in the lead role and while fans are super excited about the film, the recent demises have left the fans heartbroken.
Team BollywoodShaadis extends our heartfelt condolences to the family of Kalabhavan Niju.
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