Kantara Chapter 1 becomes one of 2025’s biggest box office hits right on Day 1 with massive opening of…

According to trade site Sacnilk, Kantara Chapter 1 earned:

Kannada: ₹18 crore

Telugu: ₹12.5 crore

Hindi: ₹19.5 crore

Tamil: ₹5.25 crore

Malayalam: ₹4.75 crore

The film sold 1.28 million tickets in its first 24 hours, with more than 8,800 shows across India. Kannada shows recorded a striking 88% occupancy, while Telugu and Tamil versions crossed 70%. Malayalam occupancy stood at 65%, and Hindi screenings—spread across nearly 4,700 shows—registered around 30% occupancy.

Among the Biggest Openings of 2025

Kantara Chapter 1 opened with the third-highest single-day collection of 2025, trailing only Rajinikanth’s Coolie (₹65 crore) and Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG (₹63.75 crore). It outperformed Chhaava (₹52 crore), Saiyaara, and even the much-anticipated War 2 (₹52 crore) and Game Changer (₹51 crore).

In the Hindi market alone, the film earned ₹19.5 crore, making it the second-highest opening for a Kannada film in Hindi, after KGF Chapter 2’s record ₹54 crore debut.

Directed by and starring Rishab Shetty, the film is a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, which became a cultural phenomenon and earned ₹407 crore worldwide against a budget of just ₹16 crore.

Kantara Chapter 1 carries forward the franchise with larger-than-life visuals, ambitious storytelling, and a star-studded cast including Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, and Jayaram. Technical credits include cinematography 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.

With its ₹60 crore opening, Kantara Chapter 1 has already proven to be a pan-India success and is expected to dominate the box office in the weeks ahead.