Kantara Chapter 1 Rewrites Kannada Cinema History with Blockbuster Debut

Rishab Shetty's highly anticipated prequel, Kantara Chapter 1, has lived up to the hype with a blockbuster opening at the worldwide box office. As of October 3rd, 2025, the film has set new benchmarks for Kannada cinema, surpassing every major Kannada release except for KGF Chapter 2.

The prequel has minted an impressive collection, achieving a 2935% higher opening day gross compared to the original Kantara film. This remarkable feat has cemented Kantara Chapter 1's position as a game-changer for the Kannada film industry.

Despite missing out on the coveted 100 crore club on its opening day, the period-mythological action drama has managed to outperform every other Kannada biggie. This success can be attributed to the strong word-of-mouth and the strategic release during the Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti holidays, which helped boost the film's footfall during the evening and night shows.

As the film continues its run, it will be exciting to see how the prequel's performance unfolds in the coming days. Rishab Shetty's vision and the audience's overwhelming response have undoubtedly set a new benchmark for Kannada cinema, paving the way for more groundbreaking films from the region.