Mumbai: Rishab Shetty’s much-awaited Kantara: Chapter 1 has opened with one of the strongest box-office debuts of 2025, earning an estimated ₹60 crore net across India on Day 1, according to early trade reports. The film, released on October 2, has quickly emerged as a national talking point, drawing comparisons with KGF 2 and setting a new benchmark for Kannada cinema’s pan-India reach.
Industry trackers suggest that by evening shows alone, the film had crossed ₹37 crore, with late-night screenings boosting the number to around ₹60 crore. The Kannada version led the charts with an 88% occupancy rate, while dubbed versions in Telugu and Tamil also registered robust footfalls.
The Hindi version’s performance has been mixed but promising. Pinkvilla reports place the Hindi net opening at ₹16.5–17 crore, with Maharashtra and East India leading collections, while North India remained comparatively weaker. Koimoi’s early trends suggest a slightly higher figure of ₹19–21 crore, which would position the film among the top 10 Hindi openers of 2025.
Adding to the momentum, advance bookings worth ₹11 crore had been logged even before release, pointing to the film’s extraordinary buzz. Trade experts estimate that including Wednesday night previews, the gross all-India collections may stand between ₹65–70 crore.
“Kantara: Chapter 1” has also outperformed several high-profile releases such as Chhaava and Saiyaara, and in certain territories, even surpassed Rajinikanth’s Coolie. The strong opening signals not just the rising dominance of Kannada cinema but also the growing appetite for culturally rooted stories with pan-Indian appeal.
Critics and audiences alike have praised Shetty’s immersive storytelling, which blends folklore with cinematic spectacle. However, the film has also faced the challenge of piracy leaks within hours of release, a factor that may affect long-term theatrical revenues.
With the extended holiday weekend and strong word-of-mouth, analysts now expect “Kantara: Chapter 1” to breach the ₹100 crore mark within its first three days, consolidating its place as one of 2025’s most significant box-office successes.
