Popular mimicry artist and actor Kalabhavan Niju died late on Thursday, June 12, after suffering a massive heart attack, dealing yet another blow to the production of Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1. According to reports, the 40‑year‑old performer, from Vadanappally in Kerala‘s Thrissur district, was rushed to a hospital after complaining of severe chest pain, but could not be revived.
Niju rose to prominence in Kerala’s mimicry circuit before turning to cinema, landing memorable supporting roles in Unni Mukundan’s Malayalam hits Malikappuram (2022) and Marco (2024). He was selected for Kantara: Chapter 1, a prequel to Rishab Shetty’s 2022 Kannada blockbuster, following auditions earlier this year.
With just over three months to go for the film’s scheduled release on October 2, 2025, Niju’s untimely death marks the third, linked to the production in recent weeks. On May 12, Rakesh Poojary, a comedian and actor from Udupi, known for winning Comedy Khiladigalu Season 3, passed away at the age of 34, following a sudden cardiac arrest.
Just a week earlier, on May 5, the team lost MF Kapil, a 32-year-old crew member from Kerala‘s Kottayam. Kapil drowned after being caught in strong river currents while visiting the Souparnika river in Kollur, Udupi, during a break. Though natives managed to pull him out, he could not be saved.
Produced by Hombale Films, best known for the KGF and Salaar franchises, Kantara: Chapter 1 features cinematography by Arvind Kashyap and music by B Ajaneesh Loknath. Rishab Shetty reprises his role in the lead, and the first‑look teaser dropped in November 2023 to much fanfare.