Kantara 1 nears Rs 500 crore
Rishabh Shetty’s Kantara 1 has emerged as the biggest cinematic blockbuster of 2025. The film, which released on October 2, did a dream job in two weeks with minimal competition, earning ₹ 485.40 crore across all languages. Its Hindi interpretation contributed just ₹ 160 crore, which proves Kantara’s appeal across India. With Diwali approaching, trade experts are wondering whether the new release will be able to dampen its record-breaking momentum.
Film judges Komal Nahta and Taran Adarsh agree that Kantara 1’s box office journey will be mixed due to the Diwali rush. While Rishabh Shetty’s film had a strong release earlier, its future now depends on holding the curtain between the new Hindi and Tamil releases. Taran Adarsh says, “Despite so many new releases, Kantara 1’s collections may have dipped, but it is still a phenomenal success story.”
Trade expert Komal Nahta believes that Kantara 1’s Hindi collections could touch Rs 175-200 crore before Diwali. He expects the film’s total Indian collection to be around Rs 470 crore. Every film has a specific time frame for its theatrical release. “Kantara 1 has been a huge success in history, and a Diwali release will naturally impact its business,” Nahta said, acknowledging the delay in the release.
Madakker Thamma, which is set to release on October 21, is already generating pre-release excitement. The film, a part of Sri and Bedia’s horror-comedy creation, stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna. With huge advance bookings and wide distribution from PVR Inox Pictures, Thamma is aiming to dominate the legion of fans this festive season – which is likely to reduce Kantara 1’s theatre share in major metros.
According to Bollywood Hungama, Thamma’s distributors have reportedly demanded a “no-sharing” clause, demanding exclusive netting in single and double-screen theatres. This demand has created a rift with the makers of Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa starrer ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’. The pressure of aggressive distribution could further impact Kantara’s box office performance by limiting its showtimes. The high-profile circuit.
Adding to the competition for Jayanti, two major Tamil releases, “Dude” starring Pradeep Ranganathan and Moumita Vaijju, produced by Maitree Movie Makers and directed by Keertheeswaran, are also in the running. Meanwhile, Mari Selvaraj’s “Bison Kalamadhan” stars Dhruv Vikram. Their strong South Indian debut Kantara is likely to surpass the Tamil box office collections.
The success of ‘Kantara 1’ in the Hindi-speaking region has made the influence of South cinema clear in the North. Its Hindi interpretation has grossed over Rs 150 crore more than the Kannada original, further strengthening its inter-regional appeal. Directed and produced by Rishabh Shetty, the film’s narrative, which is based on myths and beliefs, has left its mark on the culture across the country – setting the standard for ethnographic cinema to dominate in 2025.
Written by Rishabh Shetty, ‘Kantara 1’ is the predecessor to the 2022 megahit ‘Kantara’. The film, co-written by Aniruddha Mahesh and Shanil Guru, stars Jayaram, Rukmini Vasanth and Gulshan Devaiah. The film was initially the highest-grossing Kannada film of 2025 and the highest-grossing Indian film of that time, with a blend of mythology, mysticism and visually stunning action sequences.
After the phenomenal success of Kantara 1, Rishabh Shetty visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and performed Ganga Aarti to express gratitude. The director-actor credited the film’s success to divine blessings and the faith of his devotees. His line “Maa Ganga Rasta Dikhayegi” echoes the film’s spiritual tone. His role represents Kantara’s deep cultural connection to its roots and spiritual content.
According to Acidity Shamus, Sacknelk, Kantara 1 has grossed ₹494.72 crore in 16 days and is expected to gross ₹500 crore by 18 October. Its strong opening weekend earnings of ₹225.25 crore and its harmonious performance in the alternate week are testament to its strong devotee following. Despite the new competition, the film’s extraordinary personality made it one of India’s highest-grossing films of all time.
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