India, May 10 -- Makers of upcoming film Kantara: Chapter 1 issued a statement on Thursday following the tragic death of junior artiste MF Kapil. Kapil had drowned on May 6 near the Souparnika River in Karnataka's Kollur. Expressing "heartfelt condolences" to "his family and loved ones", production house Hombale Films stated: "In light of recent discussions, we would like to respectfully clarify that the incident did not occur on the sets of Kantara. No filming was scheduled on that day and the unfortunate event took place during his personal engagement, outside the scope of any film related activity. We sincerely request everyone to refrain from drawing unverified associations with the film or its crew." This came hours after the All India Cine Workers' Association (AICWA) called for investigation into the death, calling on the state's CM Siddaramaiah for justice for the deceased's family. AICWA also demanded that an FIR be registered against actor-filmmaker Rishab Shetty and the production house, alleging that the true circumstances behind such on-set deaths are often concealed, and whistleblowers face intimidation. They appealed for financial compensation of Rs.1 crore for Kapil's family. Meanwhile, a case of unnatural death was registered and investigation underway. The upcoming film is a prequel of the 2022 Kannada language action thriller Kantara, which won the 2024 National Award Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. htc...