'Kantara: Chapter 1' Edges Out Varun Dhawan's 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari' in Advance Bookings

On October 2, 2025, Varun Dhawan's 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari' and Rishab Shetty's 'Kantara: Chapter 1' are scheduled to hit the theaters, setting the stage for a box office clash. 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari' is a romantic comedy starring Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf, and audiences are eagerly awaiting its release. However, the film faces stiff competition from the highly anticipated prequel to the 2022 hit 'Kantara'.

'Kantara: Chapter 1', written and directed by Rishab Shetty, explores the mythological origins of the story told in the original film. Set ten centuries before the events of 'Kantara', the prequel features Shetty in a new role alongside Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, and Gulshan Devaiah. The original 'Kantara' had received immense success in its Hindi run, and the prequel seems poised to continue that momentum.

In the advance bookings race, 'Kantara: Chapter 1' is clearly ahead of 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari'. By Monday evening, the Hindi version of 'Kantara: Chapter 1' had sold 18,600 tickets, earning ₹46.41 lakh. In comparison, 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari' had sold 8,164 tickets nationwide, grossing ₹39.16 lakh. Varun Dhawan acknowledged the success of 'Kantara' but expressed confidence in his film's ability to entertain audiences.

As the release date approaches, both films will be vying for the attention of moviegoers, and the final outcome will depend on word-of-mouth and critical reception.