BENGALURU: Rishab Shetty’s highly-anticipated mythological prequel, ‘Kantara Chapter 1: A Legend,’ is poised for a massive opening day, with early advance booking figures indicating it is set to become the biggest Sandalwood opener of 2025.
The film, which releases tomorrow, October 2, is the prequel to the 2022 pan-India blockbuster Kantara, and is carrying unprecedented hype across multiple languages.
A Roaring Start at the Box Office
Advance ticket sales for the film have shown remarkable strength, particularly in the Kannada-speaking regions. According to trade sources, the cumulative gross advance booking for the film across all languages has surged, climbing past ₹12-13 crore (excluding block seats) in the final hours leading up to its release.
- Kannada Dominance: A significant majority of the sales come from the original Kannada version, underscoring the enormous excitement within the home state.
- Pan-India Traction: The film is also witnessing strong pre-sales in the Hindi, Telugu, and Malayalam belts, indicating the sequel is successfully capitalising on the national appeal of the first instalment.
Trade analysts are now predicting a grand India net opening of at least ₹30 crore, with some estimates suggesting it could touch ₹40 crore for the five-language release. This figure comfortably positions it to outperform all other Kannada releases of the year and establishes it as a major pan-India contender for the festive Dussehra weekend.
Surpassing Expectations of a Prequel
The box office momentum is a direct testament to the cultural phenomenon status of Kantara, which was made on a modest budget but grossed over ₹400 crore worldwide. The prequel, produced by Hombale Films, is reportedly mounted on a significantly larger scale with a budget over ₹100 crore, promising enhanced VFX and visual grandeur.
‘Kantara Chapter 1’ delves into the origins of the divine spirit Bhoota Kola and the legend of the protector, Shiva’s ancestor, set centuries ago during the Kadamba dynasty. Rishab Shetty not only directs and writes the film but also stars in the lead role, alongside Rukmini Vasanth and Gulshan Devaiah.
With the film hitting screens globally tomorrow, all eyes are on whether ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ can translate its historic advance booking performance into a final box office tally that lives up to the lofty expectations set by its predecessor.
