Kantara Chapter 1 Nears Rs 600 Crore Mark Despite Pre-Diwali Slump

Kantara Chapter 1 has reached the cusp of a historic Rs 600 crore milestone at the Indian box office, though its momentum has been tempered by pre-Diwali challenges. The Rishab Shetty-starrer, now in its third weekend of release, earned approximately Rs 40 crore across the period, indicating what industry analysts suggest could have been Rs 50 crore under normal circumstances. With an 18-day total gross of Rs 592 crore, the film is positioned to cross the coveted Rs 600 crore threshold today, marking another remarkable achievement for the Kannada cinema juggernaut.

Regional Performance and Festival Impact

The pre-Diwali effect has proven more pronounced in North India, where audience footfall declined noticeably. However, South Indian markets demonstrated greater resilience, particularly Karnataka and Kerala, where the film continues its record-breaking run. Karnataka has emerged as the highest-grossing territory with Rs 197.50 crore, approaching the historic Rs 200 crore mark within a single state—a first for any film. Kerala crossed Rs 50 crore yesterday, showing consistent performance. Tamil Nadu and Telugu states experienced pressure from competing Diwali releases including Dude, Bison, and Telusu Kada.

Path to Box Office Victory

Challenge to Chhaava’s Supremacy

For Kantara Chapter 1 to surpass Chhaava as the year’s highest-grossing film, stronger performance during the Diwali holiday period becomes crucial. While the arrival of new Diwali releases will cannibalize screen counts and reduce showcase availability, the film is positioned to generate healthy collections if it capitalizes on festive weekday viewership. Industry observers suggest the Rs 600 crore milestone, while slightly delayed due to pre-Diwali disruptions, remains achievable as the critical holiday period unfolds.

The territorial breakdown reveals an even distribution across markets: APT states contributed Rs 93.75 crore, Tamil Nadu Rs 56.75 crore, Kerala Rs 50.50 crore, and Rest of India Rs 193.50 crore, demonstrating the film’s pan-Indian appeal and commercial dominance.