In a scene that felt straight out of a film, the Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 set — hosted by superstar Kichcha Sudeep — turned into the centre of real-life drama on Tuesday evening. The Ramanagara district administration sealed Jalewood Studio, near Bidadi, where the show is being filmed, citing environmental violations for discharging untreated wastewater into public drains.

We had recently reported on Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 facing uncertainty over compliance concerns. However, within hours of its latest episode being filmed, the situation escalated dramatically — the Jalewood Studio set was sealed, police entered the premises, and contestants were swiftly evacuated, bringing production to a sudden halt.

According to officials, police broke open the studio gates to enter the premises, only to find that the contestants had already been evacuated from the Bigg Boss house moments earlier.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board had issued a notice a day earlier, flagging the violation. Within 24 hours, district authorities launched a coordinated raid, locking down three of the studio’s four gates and leaving one open briefly to allow contestants to leave before 7 pm.

Tension escalated when channel staff and security personnel allegedly tried to block the officials’ entry into the house. Police issued a firm warning before proceeding inside to complete the inspection.

As the raid unfolded, contestants were moved to a theatre within the studio premises, and later relocated to another facility once the situation was stabilised.

The development has rippled through the Kannada television industry, raising questions about production practices and compliance oversight. For viewers, it marks one of the most unexpected plot twists yet for Bigg Boss Kannada — a show that has long thrived on high-stakes drama, this time unfolding off camera.