Kantara Chapter 1: All the box office records smashed by Rishab Shetty’s film on day 1

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru/ Bengaluru, Oct 3, 2025: Rishab Shetty’s much-anticipated prequel, Kantara Chapter 1, hit theatres on Gandhi Jayanti and collected Rs 60 crore in India on its first day. 

The film, which follows the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, was released in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam.

Kantara Chapter 1 Sold 1.28 Million Tickets

According to trade site Sacnilk, Kantara Chapter 1 earned:

    Kannada: Rs 18 crore
    Telugu: Rs 12.5 crore
    Hindi: Rs 19.5 crore
    Tamil: Rs 5.25 crore
    Malayalam: Rs 4.75 crore

The film sold a record 1.28 million tickets in the first 24 hours.

Multi-Language Release Drives High Occupancy

Kantara Chapter 1 had over 8,800 shows across India on its opening day. In Kannada, the film had around 1,500 shows, achieving a striking 88% overall occupancy. 

Telugu and Tamil screenings recorded over 70% occupancy, while Malayalam had around 65%. Hindi screenings accounted for approximately 4,700 shows, with an overall occupancy rate of around 30%.

Breaking Records Across The Board

Kantara Chapter 1 opened with the third-highest single-day collection of 2025, behind Rajinikanth’s Coolie (Rs 65 crore) and Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG (Rs 63.75 crore). It also surpassed Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava (Rs 52 crore) and Saiyaara (the previous record holder for opening day collections).

Second-Highest Opening For A Kannada Film

In the Hindi market, the film is expected to earn Rs 19-21 crore on its opening day, making it the second-highest opening ever for a Kannada film in Hindi, after KGF Chapter 2, which earned Rs 54 crore.

Kantara Chapter 1 Enters Top 10 Highest Grossing Films Of 2025

The wide release and strong occupancy across languages show the film’s appeal to a diverse audience. The film’s distribution strategy included releasing nearly 4,700 Hindi shows and over 1,500 Kannada shows, while Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam versions reached smaller but significant audiences.

Kantara Chapter 1 has already entered the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2025 on Day 1.

Box Office Context

With Rs 60 crore on its first day, Kantara Chapter 1 overtook films like Chhaava and Saiyaara but remains slightly behind the openings of Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG. Other contenders in 2025 include Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s War 2 (Rs 52 crore) and Ram Charan-Shankar’s Game Changer (Rs 51 crore).

A Prequel With Grand Aspirations

The original Kantara (2022) emerged as a word-of-mouth hit, earning over Rs 407 crore worldwide against a modest budget of Rs 16 crore. Its prequel, Kantara Chapter 1, carried forward the franchise with bigger visuals, ambitious storytelling, and expanded scale.

Directed by and starring Rishab Shetty, the film also features Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, and Jayaram in key roles. Cinematography is by Arvind S Kashyap, editing by Suresh, music by B Ajaneesh Loknath, and production design by Banglan. The film is produced by Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda under the Hombale Films banner.

Courtesy: NDTV