03 October,2025 01:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Still from Kantara
Kantara: Chapter 1 was released in theatres on October 2 amid much anticipation, thanks to the massive success of its predecessor, Kantara (2022). The film had a huge opening on its first day, with fans flocking to theaters in large numbers. Videos of excited audiences going wild have now surfaced on social media.
In a video circulating online, a woman can be seen acting possessed while watching the film. The scene involves Rishab Shetty's character being possessed by Guliga, making loud noises, and the fan was seen imitating this moment. She was surrounded by people trying to calm her down, and eventually, she fainted. Several onlookers were seen recording the moment on their phones.
The frenzy was not limited to cinema halls. After watching the film, a fan was seen mimicking Shetty's possessed character outside the theatre. Dressed in an off-white mundu and shirt, he imitated the way Rishab Shetty performs when possessed by Guliga. Videos of the fan went viral on social media, with bystanders calmly capturing the moment on their phones.
It may be recalled that there was a similar hysteria in movie halls during the release of Mohit Suri's Saiyaara. Fans went wild inside the cinema halls where they were seen wailing, tearing their shirts and even watching the film with IV drip.
Meanwhile, Shetty toured theatres on release day to witness audience reactions firsthand. He was accompanied by his wife Pragathi, who worked as the costume designer for the film. In one viral video, Pragathi appeared overwhelmed by the love for the film and was seen hiding behind Rishab to conceal her happy tears.
Kantara: Chapter 1, produced by Hombale Films, has crossed Rs 60 crore across India (all languages), making it one of the biggest openings for a Kannada film. According to trade-tracking site Sacnilk, the film recorded an occupancy of 88.13 per cent in its home state, Karnataka. In Telugu, the occupancy was 75.34 per cent, while Tamil Nadu recorded 71.42 per cent. The Hindi version had a lower occupancy of 29.84 per cent but still earned around Rs 20 crore.
With positive word of mouth, the film is expected to sustain momentum over the coming days, maintaining steady growth. Kantara: Chapter 1 is already being hailed as one of the biggest blockbusters of 2025.
