Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 since its release has been roaring at the box office since its release. The prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara has been released during the Dussehra weekend and is already making waves, leaving behind films like Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava and Saiyaara. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film grossed Rs 60 crore on its opening day, with advance bookings adding nearly Rs 20 crore. It’s giving even Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG, now in its second week, a tough competition.
Kantara: Chapter 1- Third-highest single-day collection of 2025
Kantara: Chapter 1 has already recorded the third-highest single-day collection of 2025, behind only Rajinikanth’s Coolie (Rs 65 crore) and Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG (Rs 63.75 crore). It also beat the opening-day collections of Chhaava (Rs 52 crore) and Saiyaara, which previously held the record. Released in multiple languages, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam, the film has attracted audiences across the country.
Kantara: Chapter 1: Ticket sales and theatre occupancy
The film sold a whopping 1.28 million tickets in its first 24 hours. Collections by language include Kannada: Rs 18 crore, Telugu: Rs 12.5 crore, Hindi: Rs 19.5 crore, Tamil: Rs 5.25 crore, and Malayalam: Rs 4.75 crore. With over 8,800 shows across India, occupancy was impressive: Kannada theatres hit 88 per cent, Telugu and Tamil screens over 70 per cent, Malayalam around 65 per cent, and Hindi shows around 30 per cent.
Kantara: Chapter 1 – Box office collection
With Rs 60 crore on its opening day, Kantara: Chapter 1 has already entered the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2025. While it’s slightly behind the openings of Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG, the prequel has already become the third highest-grossing Kannada film of all time, surpassing Yash’s KGF: Chapter 1. The only films ahead are the original Kantara (Rs 408 crore) and KGF: Chapter 2 (Rs 1,215 crore). Other big releases in 2025, like Hrithik Roshan-Jr NTR’s War 2 (Rs 52 crore) and Ram Charan-Shankar’s Game Changer (Rs 51 crore), are still behind in opening-day collections.
Kantara: Chapter 1: Story, cast and global buzz
Written, and directed by Rishab Shetty, Kantara: Chapter 1 explores the mythological and cultural roots that made the original a global hit. The prequel also stars Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, and Gulshan Devaiah in key roles.
With packed theatres, glowing reviews, and strong international buzz, Kantara: Chapter 1 is proving that Kannada cinema can dominate not just regionally, but nationally and globally. At this pace, the film is on track not only to cross the Rs 300-crore mark, but also to set new box office records in the weeks to come.