🎬 Kantara: Chapter 1 – A Thunderous First-Week Box Office Triumph
Published on: October 09, 2025
By: CineClimax
Reading Time: 3 minutes
🎞️ About the Film
• Title: Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1
• Language: Kannada (dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam & English)
• Director & Lead Actor: Rishab Shetty
• Cast: Rishab Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, Jayaram, and Pramod Shetty
• Genre: Period Folk Drama / Mythic Adventure
• Produced by: Hombale Films
• Estimated Budget: ₹120–125 crore
Serving as a prequel to the 2022 hit Kantara, this chapter takes viewers centuries back in time, exploring the cultural essence and traditional beliefs that inspired the original story’s legend.
🌟 Opening and Audience Response
Kantara: Chapter 1 opened with an impressive start across India. Though pre-release buzz was moderate, strong word-of-mouth soon turned it into a nationwide celebration.
Critics appreciated Rishab Shetty’s direction, immersive storytelling, and the film’s powerful world-building.
On Day 1, the movie collected over ₹35–40 crore net in India — a remarkable debut for a regional-language release. With solid weekend momentum, the film quickly became a box-office leader across multiple regions.
📊 Confirmed First-Week Box Office Numbers
According to verified reports from Hindustan Times, Mint, and Sacnilk, here’s how Kantara: Chapter 1 performed in its first seven days:
Region / MarketNet Collection (₹ crore)HighlightsIndia Total (Net)≈ 316 croreCrossed ₹300 crore within a weekHindi Version≈ 102 croreOutstanding performance in North IndiaKannada Version≈ 99 croreStrong dominance in the home stateTelugu Version≈ 60 croreExcellent response in Andhra & TelanganaTamil & Malayalam Versions≈ 20 crore eachConsistent regional drawOverseas (Gross)≈ US $8 million (≈ ₹70 crore)Strong turnout in the U.S., UAE & AustraliaWorldwide Gross (1 Week)≈ ₹451 croreSurpassed Brahmastra (₹431 cr) & 3 Idiots (₹450 cr)
These figures confirm that Kantara: Chapter 1 not only ruled the domestic market but also made an impressive global impact.
🌎 Pan-India and Regional Performance
The film’s greatest success lies in its truly pan-India appeal. Unlike many regional releases, Kantara: Chapter 1 achieved near-equal contributions from several language markets.
Area-wise first-week gross (approx.):
• Karnataka – ₹120 crore
• Telugu States – ₹73 crore
• Tamil Nadu – ₹34 crore
• Kerala – ₹31 crore
• North India (Hindi belt) – ₹120 crore
India gross total reached about ₹377 crore, with another ₹70 crore from overseas markets — bringing the worldwide first-week total to around ₹447–451 crore.
💰 Budget, Recovery & Profitability
Hombale Films produced Kantara: Chapter 1 on an estimated ₹120–125 crore budget.
The movie had already recovered its cost before release through digital, satellite, and music rights. Hence, every rupee earned at the box office added directly to its profit.
With a global first-week gross near ₹450 crore, the film earned nearly four times its production cost — making it one of the most profitable Indian films of 2025.
🏆 Comparisons and Milestones
• Surpassed the lifetime collection of Brahmastra Part One (₹431 cr) and 3 Idiots (₹450 cr).
• Became the second-highest-grossing Kannada film ever, next only to KGF Chapter 2 (₹1,215 cr).
• Earned ₹100 crore net from its Hindi-dubbed version — a rare milestone for a non-Bollywood release.
• Expected to cross ₹500 crore worldwide during its second weekend.
🔮 Outlook: The Road Ahead
Industry analysts suggest Kantara: Chapter 1 has strong momentum going into its second weekend.
With positive audience reactions and sustained interest, it may conclude its theatrical run between ₹700–800 crore worldwide if weekday trends remain steady.
Meanwhile, Kantara: Chapter 2 has already been announced — promising to expand this mythic cinematic universe further.
🌠 Final Take
Kantara: Chapter 1 has demonstrated that compelling storytelling rooted in tradition and culture can connect audiences across languages and borders.
Within just one week, it redefined what a Kannada film can achieve globally — merging local legend with universal emotion.
For Rishab Shetty and Hombale Films, this is more than a box-office success — it’s a proud cultural achievement.
📜 Disclaimer
This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It contains no explicit, violent, or adult material.
All box-office data is sourced from verified industry reports. CineClimax promotes family-friendly and policy-compliant film journalism.
Tags: Kantara Chapter 1 Box Office, Rishab Shetty, Hombale Films, Kannada Cinema, Indian Box Office 2025, Pan-India Movies.