Entertainment

oi-Prakash KL

Updated: Friday, October 3, 2025, 10:52 [IST]

The
screening
of
Rishab
Shetty’s
Kantara
2
and
the
Indian
movies
have
been
suspended
in
a
cinema
hall
in
Canada’s
Ontario
province
over
two
separate
incidents
in
the
last
one
week.

Film.ca
Cinemas,
a
popular
venue
in
the
Greater
Toronto
Area,
was
the
site
of
an
attempted
arson
and
a
separate
shooting
incident,
both
occurring
in
the
early
hours
of
the
morning.
The
theatre
has
since
removed
Rishab
Shetty’s
Kantara:
A
Legend
Chapter
1
and
Pawan
Kalyan’s
They
Call
Him
OG
from
its
schedule.

The
first
incident
took
place
on
September
25,
when
two
individuals
allegedly
attempted
to
set
fire
to
the
theatre’s
entrance
using
flammable
liquid.
Surveillance
footage
released
by
the
cinema
shows
a
grey
SUV
arriving
around
2
a.m.,
with
one
person
scouting
the
premises.

Later,
two
suspects
returned
in
separate
vehicles
and
were
seen
pouring
liquid
from
red
containers
before
igniting
it.

The
fire
was
contained
to
the
exterior,
causing
moderate
damage.
Halton
Regional
Police
described
the
suspects
in
detail,
noting
their
clothing
and
accessories,
including
hoodies,
gloves,
and
medical
masks.
Authorities
are
treating
the
incident
as
deliberate
and
have
appealed
to
the
public
for
information.

A
second
attack
occurred
on
October
2,
when
a
lone
suspect
fired
multiple
rounds
at
the
theatre’s
entrance
around
1:50
a.m.
Police
described
the
individual
as
a
dark-skinned
male
with
a
heavy
build,
dressed
in
black
and
wearing
a
face
mask.
No
injuries
were
reported
in
either
incident.

While
investigators
have
not
confirmed
a
motive,
speculation
has
emerged
about
possible
links
to
extremist
groups.
Past
threats
targeting
religious
institutions
in
the
area
have
raised
concerns,
though
no
direct
connection
has
been
established
in
this
case.

In
response
to
the
incidents,
Film.ca
CEO
Jeff
Knoll
initially
affirmed
the
theatre’s
commitment
to
showcasing
diverse
content,
including
South
Asian
films.
However,
a
subsequent
statement
from
the
cinema
acknowledged
that
recent
events
appear
to
be
tied
to
its
programming
choices.

“While
we
remain
committed
to
artistic
freedom,
the
safety
of
our
patrons
and
staff
is
paramount,” the
statement
read.
“Given
the
escalation
of
violence,
we
are
suspending
screenings
of
select
South
Asian
titles
as
a
precautionary
measure.”

As
of
Thursday,
the
theatre’s
website
no
longer
lists
any
South
Asian
films
in
its
upcoming
lineup.

Halton
police
continue
to
investigate
both
incidents
and
have
urged
anyone
with
relevant
information
to
contact
the
District
Criminal
Investigation
Bureau.