How did Dulquer Salmaan's Kaantha perform at the box office on its opening day?

Kaantha, Dulquer Salmaan's new period drama, earned close to Rs 4 crore on its first day, a relatively muted performance compared to the actor's recent releases.

What legal dispute has Kaantha faced?

Kaantha has faced a legal dispute over its alleged inaccurate and derogatory portrayal of iconic Tamil star-musician MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, filed by his grandson.

How did Kaantha's opening-day numbers compare to other recent Tamil film releases?

While Kaantha's opening exceeded some recent Tamil releases like Tourist Family and Veera Dheera Sooran, it fell well short of major pan-India Tamil hits like Coolie, Good Bad Ugly, Kubera, and Madharaasi.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Dulquer Salmaan's Kaantha Stumbles at Box Office Despite High Hopes

Dulquer Salmaan's Kaantha Stumbles at Box Office Despite High Hopes

15 Nov

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Summary

Kaantha, Dulquer Salmaan's new period drama, opened to a relatively soft response
The film earned close to Rs 4 crore on its first day, lower than Salmaan's recent releases
Kaantha faces legal dispute over alleged inaccurate depiction of an iconic Tamil star

On November 15, 2025, Dulquer Salmaan's much-awaited period drama Kaantha hit theaters across India, but the film has opened to a relatively soft response. According to early figures, the Tamil and Telugu language movie earned close to Rs 4 crore on its first day, a figure considered subdued when compared to Salmaan's recent releases.

In Tamil Nadu, Kaantha registered an overall Day 1 occupancy of 21.68%, with morning shows starting at 14.6% and picking up to 34.44% for night shows. The film performed better in Chennai, where it had the highest number of screenings in the state, recording a 29.5% turnout. However, the Telugu version of Kaantha witnessed a muted 19.46% occupancy, despite Salmaan's strong following in the region.

When placed alongside Salmaan's other recent films, Kaantha's opening-day performance appears subdued. His 2024 release Lucky Baskhar and the action drama King of Kotha had both opened to higher collections of Rs 6.45 crore and Rs 6.85 crore, respectively.