Rishab Shetty's upcoming prequel to Kantara is generating a lot of buzz for next year. Right now, he's busy shooting Kantara: Chapter 1 in the forests of Gavigudda, Karnataka. But it seems the crew has run into some issues. According to a report from India Today, locals are claiming that the team is ‘damaging’ the forest.

The claims

Sanna Swamy, a former Zilla Panchayat member, has claimed that the filming process is causing harm to local wildlife, including animals and birds. He pointed out that farmers are already facing issues with wild elephants and criticized officials for being careless despite the Supreme Court's orders to protect forests. He emphasized the need for urgent action to prevent any more harm.

Tensions flared on set when some locals confronted the film crew during shooting, resulting in a scuffle that left a young local injured. He was taken to Crawford Hospital in Sakleshpur for treatment. A report indicates that a case has been filed at the Yesalur Police Station.

So far, neither the filmmakers nor Rishab have officially responded to these allegations.

Additional information

Rishab directed and starred in Kantara, taking on the roles of Shiva and his father, who is a Daiva Kola performer. Last November, the team revealed the release date for the prequel. Kantara: Chapter 1 is set to hit theaters worldwide on October 2, 2025.

They also dropped a teaser for the prequel back in November. It kicks off with Rishab asking the audience if they can see the ‘light’ that allows them to glimpse both the ‘past and the future.’ We see his character, Shiva, gazing up at the moon before he’s shown in a totally different look.

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