Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1, a prequel to his National Award-winning film Kantara, released in theatres on October 2, 2025. The film collected Rs 60 crore on its opening day across all languages. While the makers celebrated the stellar collections, they also raised concerns about piracy.
Official Statement By Team Kantara
The makers issued a statement appealing to the audience not to "support piracy". They further requested fans not to share videos from theatres "even with good intentions".
The note read, "From the beginning, Kantara has been yours as much as ours. Your love and support have carried this journey forward. We humbly request that you not support piracy. It not only harms the film but also the dreams and efforts of thousands who worked tirelessly to bring it to life. We also kindly ask fans not to record or share videos from theatres, even with good intentions, as it takes away from the magic of cinema. Kantara Chapter 1 was created for the big screen, for you to feel every sound, every frame, every emotion as it was meant to be. Let's protect this journey together and keep Kantara an unforgettable experience in theatres."
Kantara Chapter 1 - Day 1 Collection
According to Sacnilk, the film minted approximately Rs 19-21 crore in Hindi. It is being touted as the biggest festival release of the year so far.
The Kannada film clashed at the box office with Dharma Productions' Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, headlined by Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Rohit Saraf, and Sanya Malhotra, which earned Rs 9.25 crore on day one.
The Rishab Shetty-starrer has recorded the second-largest opening for a Kannada film in the Hindi market, next only to Yash's KGF: Chapter 2, which registered a massive Rs 54 crore nett.
Mounted on a budget of Rs 125 crore, the opening collection of Rishab Shetty's directorial sets the bar high for its run.
About Kantara Chapter 1
The first film, Kantara, released in 2022 and was set in 1990. Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1, which hit theatres on October 2, 2025, has a story set more than a thousand years before the events of Kantara.
The film has been directed by Rishab Shetty, who shares writing credits with Anirudh Mahesh and Shanil Guru. The cast includes Rishab Shetty, Jayaram, Rukmini Vasanth, and Gulshan Devaiah in lead roles.
In A Nutshell
The makers of Kantara Chapter 1 issued an appeal after piracy threats surfaced on social media. They requested fans not to share recordings from theatres as it "takes away the magic of cinema."
ALSO READ | Makers Confirm New Kantara Film, Title Revealed In Chapter 1 Ending
