Kantara: Chapter 1 – 500 Cr Done, 1000 Cr Possible?

Kantara: Chapter 1, prequel to the 2022 blockbuster folklore mystery drama Kantara, is undoubtedly among this year’s highly anticipated pan-India films which has the potential to join the elite list of 1000 Crore grossers. As the first part saw humongous box office success beyond Kannada language despite lack of big expectations and without star-studded casting, the second installment has garnered massive hype before its release.

Living up to the high anticipation, the prequel took a smashing start at the box office all over the country on October 2nd. Taking complete advantage of the festival season and the long weekend, the fantasy epic notched up impressive numbers in all territories, thanks to the glowing word of mouth and positive reviews.

As per the official statement from the makers, the film amassed 500 Crores gross worldwide by the end of the first week. While the film is set to surpass the lifetime collections of its predecessor in Kannada, it has already performed well in Telugu states and Tamil Nadu despite facing competition from other films. 

Though the Hindi version registered promising revenues throughout the weekend maintaining a steady hold, the overall run is not as per the initial trade estimates. For South Indian films to join the prestigious 1000 Crores club, extraordinary collections in Hindi market and Overseas turn out to be the key contributing factor. That is what happened for films like Baahubali 2, KGF, Pushpa 2, RRR and Kalki 2898AD. 

Unfortunately, for Kantara Chapter 1, the Hindi collections and Overseas numbers didn’t add up the pre-release hype. Going by the current trend, the ambitious 1000 Crore mark at the box office looks improbable as the total run is likely to end some where near 700 – 800 Crores.