Rishab Shetty’s mythological period drama, Kantara: Chapter 1, is making waves at the global box office, officially crossing the impressive Rs 600 crore mark. The film has garnered widespread acclaim from both audiences and critics, solidifying its position as the second-highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 to date. This monumental success follows the original Kantara’s phenomenal run, which earned over Rs 400 crore on a modest Rs 15 crore budget.
The latest installment has proven to be a massive commercial triumph. After just 11 days of release, Kantara: Chapter 1 achieved a staggering worldwide gross of Rs 655 crore, with estimates placing the 12-day collection around Rs 675 crore. The film saw a substantial domestic collection nearing Rs 450 crore in its second week, complemented by strong overseas performance. Makers announced an additional Rs 146 crore gross during its second weekend alone.
Central to the film’s grandeur is its meticulously crafted war sequence, featuring over 500 skilled fighters and involving 3,000 individuals. This extensive battle scene was shot over 45-50 days on a sprawling 25-acre town set in challenging terrain, marking a significant achievement in Indian cinema production. The film boasts a talented cast, including Rukmini Vasanth as Kanakavathi and Gulshan Devaiah as Kulashekara, alongside the visionary direction of Rishab Shetty. The music, cinematography, and production design by B Ajaneesh Loknath, Arvind Kashyap, and Vinesh Banglan respectively, further enhance the epic narrative. Kantara: Chapter 1 was released on October 2 in multiple languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, and English.