BENGALURU: Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 has emerged as a box-office phenomenon, redefining the reach of Kannada cinema across India. Released on October 2, Kantara: Chapter 1 has already amassed over Rs 500 crore globally in its opening weekend.
Hombale Productions, which has backed the film, announced that the first week numbers (global box office) stand at Rs 509.25 crore. In India, the Hindi and Kannada versions have amassed over Rs 100 crore, with the Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam versions contributing Rs 64 crore, Rs 31.5 crore, and Rs 26.5 crore, respectively. Interestingly, the original Kantara (2022) concluded its lifetime run at Rs 450 crore.
“What truly matters is that audiences of all ages and backgrounds are coming to watch the film; we made this cinema for them, and if they enjoy it, that is the ultimate satisfaction for me as a technician and for the entire team,” says Rishab Shetty, who not only starred in the film but also directed the cultural phenomenon.
Commenting on the success of Kantara: Chapter 1, noted Tamil Nadu distributor and theatre owner Tiruppur Subramaniam says, “Non-Tamil films usually run only in multiplexes, and have limited reach beyond cities. But Kantara: Chapter 1 is an all-centre film and even single screens in villages are running housefull.”
Echoing his sentiment, Narayan Gowda, owner of the Veeresh Theatre in Bengaluru, says, “Family audiences are turning up in large numbers, and in four days, we earned Rs 60 lakh. We expect to hit the Rs 1-crore mark in eight days.”
This has been the story, not just in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, but all across India. While Akkshay Rathie, Director, Ashirwad Theatres, Nagpur, believes that the Hindi version could reach Rs 200 crore next week, Aamer Bijli from PVR Inox Ltd, reveals, “Within five days, it crossed 30 lakh admits in PVR INOX cinemas.”
Mirroring this sentiment, Ganesh of Kamala Cinemas, Chennai, says, “Budget and language don’t matter if the content connects.”That’s probably why many Tamil Nadu theatres are planning to shift Kantara: Chapter 1 to their main screens. Ruban Mathivanan, owner of Chennai’s GK Cinemas, says, “At this rate, the footfall will only increase in the coming days and there will be no drop.”
Summing it up, Kishore Kumar of Vaishnavi and Vaibhavi Cinemas, Bengaluru, says, “With no major releases until December 5, Kantara: Chapter 1 is on track for a 50-day blockbuster run, a milestone we haven’t seen in Kannada cinema for a long time.”
