A cine workers' association on Thursday called for an investigation into the death of a junior artist who allegedly drowned during the shoot of the upcoming film "Kantara: Chapter 1".

However, the makers of the movie denied the claim, stating the incident occurred during the artist's personal trip.

Meanwhile, police in Karnataka said a case of unnatural death has been registered at the Kollur police station and an investigation is underway.

The deceased, identified as MF Kapil, reportedly drowned in the Souparnika river near Kollur in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district during a lunch break on Wednesday late afternoon, police said, adding that the incident resulted in a "temporary halt" in the shooting.

According to police, Kapil entered the river for a swim when he was swept away by strong currents. A prompt search and rescue operation was launched by the fire department and local authorities, and his body was recovered later that night.

In a statement on X, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) expressed sorrow over the death of the junior artist, saying it is concerned that "incidents of fatalities on film sets are consistently misrepresented".

"In this latest tragedy, the claim of drowning needs to be thoroughly investigated to determine if it is the true cause of death or if there are other factors involved. AICWA urges the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah, to initiate a high-level, impartial investigation into the death of MF Kapil, ensuring justice for his family," the statement read.

The association further demanded that an FIR be filed against film's lead star Rishab Shetty and the production house, and appealed to the makers to provide financial compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family of the deceased.

Later in the day, "Kantara: Chapter 1" executive producer Adarsh JA said the team deeply regrets the "unfortunate incident" and rejected the reports that the accident occurred on the sets of the film.

"In fact, there was no shooting scheduled on the day the incident occurred. The incident happened during his personal trip with friends. We request everyone to kindly avoid any speculation linking it to the film," Adarsh claimed in a statement.

"Kantara: Chapter 1", produced by Hombale Films, is the prequel to 2022's National Award-winning "Kantara" which brought national attention to coastal Karnataka’s folklore and traditions. The film in the franchise was also written and fronted by Shetty.

The prequel of the Kannada language movie is slated to be released on October 2.

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