Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 stormed into the top 10 Hindi openings of 2025, leaving behind films of Bollywood superstars.
Published: October 3, 2025 3:42 PM IST
Rishab Shetty’s much-awaited prequel, Kantara: Chapter 1, has set the box office on fire. The film’s Hindi version alone has registered an impressive opening, collecting in the range of Rs 19-21 crore on Day 1, as per early estimates. With this, the Kannada film managed to secure a place in the list of the top 10 highest-grossing Hindi openers of 2025.
The occupancy rate for the Hindi version was reported at around 28.78% on its first day, excluding night shows. This performance is particularly significant when compared to the original Kantara (2022), which had opened with a modest Rs 1.27 crore. The prequel’s opening marks a staggering growth of more than 1400%.
Will it surpass the lifetime collection of Kantara?
The first instalment of Kantara had earned Rs 81.1 crore in its lifetime run. With Kantara: Chapter 1 already off to such a flying start, trade experts are now keen to see how many days it will take for the film to surpass the benchmark set by its predecessor.
The early momentum hints at a promising run, with audiences appreciating both the scale and storytelling that Rishab Shetty has brought to the screen.
Where does Kantara: Chapter 1 stand among 2025’s biggest Hindi openings?
Here’s a look at the current top 10 highest-grossing Hindi openings of 2025, where Kantara: Chapter 1 has firmly placed itself among Bollywood biggies:
- War 2: Hrithik Roshan and NTR Jr. starrer tops the chart with Rs 52.5 crore on Day 1.
- Chhaava: Vicky Kaushal’s magnum opus registered Rs 33.10 crore.
- Sikandar: Salman Khan’s action entertainer opened at Rs 30.06 crore.
- Housefull 5: Akshay Kumar-led ensemble earned Rs 24.35 crore.
- Saiyaara: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda’s romantic drama collected Rs 22 crore.
- Kantara: Chapter 1 (Hindi): Rishab Shetty’s prequel scored Rs 19–21 crore.
- Raid 2: Ajay Devgn’s courtroom drama earned Rs 19.71 crore.
- Sky Force: Another Akshay Kumar release, which opened at Rs 15.30 crore.
- Jolly LLB 3: Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi’s courtroom sequel managed Rs 12.5 crore.
- Sitare Zameen Par: Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh’s sports comedy remake also made it to the top 10.
What makes this success so significant?
That a Kannada-origin film like Kantara: Chapter 1 has managed to outperform Bollywood heavyweights such as Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Akshay Kumar in the Hindi market speaks volumes about its rising popularity. The strong reception also highlights the pan-India appeal that regional films now command.
With such a remarkable start, Kantara: Chapter 1 has emerged as one of the most promising releases of 2025, setting the stage for a strong box office run in the coming weeks.
Highlights:
- Kantara: Chapter 1 opened to Rs 19–21 crore in Hindi, securing a spot in the top 10 openings of 2025.
- The prequel’s opening is over 1400% higher than Kantara (2022), which began at Rs 1.27 crore.
- The film has beaten the opening collections of movies led by Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Akshay Kumar.
