Kantara Chapter 1 Smashes Records with Unstoppable Box Office Surge
Kantara Chapter 1, Rishab Shetty’s prequel, breaks box office records with Rs 290.25 crore in six days, impressing audiences nationwide and earning acclaim for its mythic storytelling and cinematic brilliance.
Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1, the eagerly awaited prequel to his National Award-winning 2022 film Kantara, continues to dominate the box office, proving itself as a cinematic phenomenon. In just six days, the film has amassed an astonishing Rs 290.25 crore domestically. Particularly impressive is its performance in the Hindi belt, where it has collected Rs 93.25 crore, signaling a pan-India appeal.
Box office Breakdown
On Tuesday alone, Kantara Chapter 1 minted Rs 33.5 crore, with Kannada audiences contributing Rs 13 crore and Hindi audiences Rs 11 crore, according to Sacnilk. Overall, the film has raked in 89.35 crore from Kannada screenings and Rs 93.25 crore from Hindi showing. Its opening day collection of Rs 61.85 crore cemented its place as the third highest grosser of the year, a remarkable feat for a regional prequel.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh highlighted the film’s consistency, tweeting, "#KantaraChapter1 maintains a rock-steady trend on the crucial Monday... The drop on Monday vis-à-vis Friday is just 35.56%, indicating a super-solid hold. The film is expected to witness another strong day today [Tuesday], aided by the discounted ticket initiative [#BlockbusterTuesdays]."
#KantaraChapter1 maintains a rock-steady trend on the crucial Monday… The drop on Monday vis-à-vis Friday is just 35.56%, indicating a super-solid hold.
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) October 7, 2025
The film is expected to witness another strong day today [Tuesday], aided by the discounted ticket initiative… pic.twitter.com/eqYF4h7kpz
Already, Kantara Chapter 1 has become the highest-grossing Kannada film of 2025, surpassing Su From So, which collected Rs 125 crore. It has also exceeded the lifetime collections of major releases like Ram Charan’s Game Changer and Salman Khan’s Sikandar from earlier this year.
About the Franchise
Directed by Rishab Shetty, who also co-wrote the film with Anirudh mahesh and Shanil Guru, Kantara Chapter 1 features Rishab Shetty, Jayaram, Rukmini Vasanth, and Gulshan Devaiah in pivotal roles. The prequel expands the mythology established in the 2022 original, with Shetty reprising his iconic lead role. Notably, Shetty earned the Best Actor National Award for Kantara in 2024, which also won the National Award for Best Popular Film.
Critical Reception
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV described the film as, "a manic, sometimes befuddling, mix of history, myth, cinematic craft, and performative power." He added that, "When the disparate components and conceits blend well, it is an undeniably compelling watch. At other times, it remains immersive enough to keep audiences glued, decoding the riot of colours, grand gestures, larger-than-life action, and portentous dialogue."
Kantara Chapter 1 has not only captivated audiences with its visual spectacle but has also reinforced Rishab Shetty’s reputation as a visionary storyteller, merging folklore and cinematic craftsmanship into a compelling saga.
