Kantara Chapter 1 Smashes Box Office With Near Rs 100 Crore
- Kantara Chapter 1 collects around Rs 65 crore on opening day, nearing Rs 100 crore globally.
- Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam versions drive strong nationwide audience response.
- Rishab Shetty’s direction and performances, combined with Dussehra release, fuel the film’s success.
Rishab Shetty’s much-anticipated prequel, Kantara Chapter 1, has made a sensational start at the box office, opening to packed theatres and enthusiastic audience response. Released on the Dussehra holiday, the film written, directed, and headlined by Shetty generated high expectations across multiple languages and regions. Its first-day collection surpassed earlier releases like Coolie and Saiyaara.
According to early estimates by Sacnilk.com, Kantara Chapter 1 crossed the Rs 65 crore mark on its opening day, establishing itself as one of the year’s most successful launches. The Hindi dubbed version contributed around Rs 19–21 crore, highlighting the film’s strong pan-India appeal. The festive release gave the movie a strategic boost, attracting audiences looking for holiday entertainment.
Despite being rooted in Kannada cinema, Kantara Chapter 1 saw a wide release in several languages, helping it cross regional boundaries and reach a broader audience. On its first day, the film outperformed opening day collections of hits like Saiyaara, Sikandar, and Chhaava. It also came close to matching the first-day earnings of Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, placing it among the top openers in Indian cinema for 2025.
Industry stars have applauded the film’s early success. Actor Prabhas called it 'brilliant' and praised its 'outstanding performances', predicting it could be the year’s biggest blockbuster. Jr NTR also congratulated Shetty and the team, commending him as both a director and actor.
Produced by Hombale Films under Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda, Kantara Chapter 1 features Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, and Jayaram in key roles alongside Shetty. Arvind S Kashyap handled cinematography, B Ajaneesh Loknath composed the score, and Banglan led production design, adding to the film’s technical excellence.
Looking ahead, the film’s sustainability will depend on word-of-mouth, evening collections, and its performance in multiplexes across non-Kannada markets. Its success in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam regions will be closely watched.
Kantara Chapter 1 has set a high benchmark from Day 1. If it continues to maintain momentum, the film could emerge as one of the defining pan-India success stories of 2025.
