06 October,2025 12:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Stills from Kantara and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari
Rishab Shetty's Kantara- Chapter 1 and Shashank Khaitan's multi-starrer directorial Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari was released in theatres on October 2. While Kantara Chapter 1 was originally made in Kannada, it was dubbed in multiple languages, including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu. Kantara Chapter 1 has been enjoying a blockbuster run at the box office despite the clash. The multi-starrer Hindi drama backed by Dharma Productions stars Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Rohit Saraf, and Sanya Malhotra and has been struggling at the box office.
Both films had an extended festival weekend as it was released on the occasion of Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti. Kantara- Chapter 1' Hindi version alone has stormed at the box office leaving Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari way behind. While Kantara earned a total of Rs 75 crore from its Hindi audience in its first weekend, Sunny Sanskari earned Rs 32 crore in the same period.
Meanwhile, Kantara's worldwide gross has crossed Rs 300 crore, making it the first Kannada film to cross the milestone this year. This makes it the third-highest-grossing Kannada film of all time, behind only KGF Chapter 2 ( Rs 1248 crore) and the first Kantara ( Rs 400 crore). Rishab Shetty's directorial is expected to cross the Rs 1000 crore mark worldwide.
Following the overwhelming success of Kantara Chapter 1, Rishab Shetty took to social media to express his gratitude to fans and supporters. Reflecting on his journey from struggle to stardom, he wrote, "From struggling to get one evening show in 2016 to 5000+ housefull shows in 2025 - this journey is nothing but your love, support, and God's grace. Forever grateful to every single person who made this possible."
Shetty also shared a throwback post from 2016, where he had celebrated securing a single 7 PM show for his film in Mangaluru's Big Cinemas, reminding fans of how far he has come in his cinematic journey.
Kantara: Chapter 1 serves as the much-anticipated prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara. The film delves into the origins of the legend, seamlessly blending folklore, divinity, and raw human emotions. With Rishab Shetty once again donning the dual roles of actor and director, the film has been lauded for its powerful storytelling, stunning cinematography, and cultural depth. Critics have described it as a "cinematic thunderstorm" that pushes the creative boundaries of Indian cinema. Chapter 1 laid the groundwork for Part 3, with the climax hinting at further exploration of the roots of the Daiva tradition. However, Rishab currently has two other films in the pipeline before he jumps onto part 3 of Kantara.
