Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1, the prequel to his 2022 blockbuster, has made a thunderous start. Released on Dussehra, the film used the festive holiday to its advantage and became one of the biggest Kannada openers ever. As per early estimates, it grossed Rs 60 crore on Day 1 and has already crossed Rs 65 crore worldwide.
Kantara Chapter 1 Box Office Collection Day 1
The film collected around Rs 60 crore on its opening day across all languages. In Hindi, it earned between Rs 19 and Rs 21 crore, which is a huge number for a dubbed Kannada film. The prequel has managed to beat several big openers of the year, including Saiyaara (Rs 22 crore), Sikandar (Rs 26 crore) and Chhaava (Rs 31 crore). It even came close to Rajinikanth’s Coolie, which opened at Rs 65 crore.
What makes it more impressive is that the Hindi version alone outperformed Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, Hindi release that arrived on the same day. The film also benefited from Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti holiday.
Rishab Shetty Starrer Becomes Second Biggest Kannada Opener
Kantara Chapter 1 has now become the second-biggest opener in Kannada cinema, only behind Yash’s KGF Chapter 2. Check the top 5 below:
| Rank | Film |
|---|---|
| 1 | KGF Chapter 2 |
| 2 | Kantara Chapter 1 |
| 3 | Vikrant Rona |
| 4 | James |
| 5 | KGF Chapter 1 |
After the film’s bumper opening, Rishab Shetty thanked fans with a heartfelt note. He wrote, “From struggling to get one evening show in 2016 to 5000+ houseful shows in 2025. This journey is nothing but your love, support and God’s grace. Forever grateful to every single person who made this possible. #KantaraChapter1.”
In 2016, he shared how he had to plead with theatre owners to show his debut film Ricky. He wrote, “After bowing down and requesting them by holding their feet and hands, I got one evening show in Big Cinemas in Mangaluru for my movie starting tomorrow. Interested people, please watch.”
About Kantara Chapter 1
Kantara Chapter 1 takes audiences back into the folklore-inspired world introduced in the 2022 hit. The film stars Rishab Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, and Gulshan Devaiah. It has been released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and English.
