Udupi Man Mysteriously Dies On His Way To Court, Locals Compare It To Kantara Scene

Kannada actor and director Rishab Shetty’s film Kantara had taken the box office by storm when it was released in multiple languages last year. The unconventional story, which contained elements of supernatural folklore, native to the coastal rural regions of Dakshina Kannada, was much lauded by critics and audiences alike. Recently, it has become a hot topic of discussion, once again, due to a real-life incident that has an uncanny resemblance to a scene in the film.

The incident took place in Padubidri, a small town in the Udupi district of coastal Karnataka, which is co-incidentally where Kantara is set as well. The incident revolves around a dispute regarding the 500-year-old Jarandaya temple. There was a clash between two committees over the administration of the temple, and the matter had gone to the court. However, one of the persons died under mysterious circumstances on his way to court in an eerily similar manner to which a character in Kantara dies on the steps of the court over a dispute, after getting cursed by a deity.

Banta Seva Samiti was responsible for maintaining Padubidri Jarandaya Temple. The conflict erupted after Seva Samiti members were shuffled. Prakash Shetty, who lost power, later formed a separate trust. Jaya Pujari, an archer of the Devasthanam, was appointed as the Trust President. The defendants have alleged that they have tried to claim a right over the shrine.

In the wake of the clash, Prakash Shetty and President Jaya Pujari reached the court. But, Jaya Pujari suddenly collapsed and died on December 24 on his way to the court under mysterious circumstances. Those who have watched Kantara can immediately draw parallels between real-life and reel-life occurrences. In the movie, descendants of a king decide to move to court over a land dispute with the villagers, but he is cursed by Panjurli Daiva, who is believed to be the protector of the village. It results in the descendant collapsing and dying on the court’s steps.

The defendants, in this case, had also accused the trust of disrespecting the dancers in the temple, while Prakash Shetty and Jaya Pujari denied it. This may all be just a matter of coincidence, but many local people are claiming it to be divine intervention, just as seen in Kantara.

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