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Kantara Chapter 1 Storms Global Box Office with ₹65 Crore Dussehra Debut
Bengaluru, October 2, 2025 -- Rishab Shetty’s much-anticipated Kantara Chapter 1 has thundered into cinemas worldwide, earning an estimated ₹65 crore on its opening day, making it one of the strongest Dussehra debuts in recent memory.
The prequel to Shetty’s 2022 cult blockbuster Kantara, the film shifts its lens centuries back to the 9th-century Kadamba dynasty, tracing the story of tribal warriors who defend sacred land from a tyrannical king through Bhuta Kola rituals an indigenous performance tradition central to coastal Karnataka’s culture.
A Clash of Giants: Box Office Rivalry
Kantara Chapter 1 released globally on October 2, directly clashing with Varun Dhawan’s family entertainer Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. Despite the star-studded competition, Shetty’s mythological action-drama dominated ticket sales, particularly in southern markets.
In Karnataka alone, early trade estimates suggest a collection of ₹15–18 crore, with near-houseful shows in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mangaluru. Multiplexes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also reported heavy footfalls, boosted by positive word-of-mouth and celebrity endorsements from Jr NTR and Prabhas, both of whom publicly praised the film on social media.
Storytelling Meets Spectacle
While Kantara (2022) had charmed audiences with its grounded folklore and earthy setting, Chapter 1 raises the stakes with lavish production design, period costumes, and cutting-edge VFX. Critics and fans alike noted that the second half soars, delivering sweeping battle sequences, emotional high points, and a powerful climax.
However, some early reviews point to uneven pacing in the first half, where the setup stretches longer than necessary. Yet audiences seem willing to forgive those stumbles for the payoff — a grand, theatrical experience rarely seen in Indian period cinema.
Performances That Shine
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Rishab Shetty, reprising his role in a younger avatar, brings raw intensity to the tribal warrior at the heart of the story.
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Rukmini Vasanth, as his love interest, has been praised for adding emotional depth to the otherwise turbulent narrative.
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Jayaram appears in a pivotal supporting role, while Gulshan Devaiah’s menacing antagonist has already sparked conversations online as one of the year’s most memorable villains.
Cultural Significance
At its core, Kantara Chapter 1 is not just a period drama but also a celebration of folk traditions. The integration of Bhuta Kola rituals, sacred chants, and dance into the storyline reaffirms Shetty’s mission to spotlight Karnataka’s indigenous heritage on the global stage.
Hombale Films, the production house behind blockbusters like KGF and the original Kantara, invested heavily in ensuring authenticity — from weapon design to temple architecture. Industry insiders suggest this focus on cultural grounding, blended with technical innovation, could help Chapter 1 travel internationally much like RRR.
What Lies Ahead
With strong early numbers, the film is expected to maintain momentum throughout the extended Dussehra holiday weekend. Trade experts predict that if the trend continues, Kantara Chapter 1 could cross the ₹200 crore mark within its first week, setting up the franchise for further expansion.
Rishab Shetty has hinted that Chapter 1 is only the beginning of a planned mythological saga exploring the evolution of faith, power, and land through centuries. Fans have already begun speculating about Chapter 2, with hashtags like #KantaraChapter1 and #BhutaKolaLegacy trending online.
The Verdict
Kantara Chapter 1 isn’t just a film it’s a cultural phenomenon in the making. By blending regional folklore with cinematic scale, Shetty has once again proved that stories rooted in local traditions can find global resonance. Whether it surpasses the original’s cult status remains to be seen, but its opening day numbers signal that audiences are ready to return to the mystical world of Kantara.
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