Kannada cinema is currently at its peak. This year, several Kannada movies were released without any promotion and achieved record-breaking box office collections thanks to their storylines and direction.Some Kannada movies like Mahavatar Narasimha(2025) broke all records in their genre, now another name has been added to this list and that is Kantara: Chapter One.
Directed by Rishabh Shetty, this movie is the new installment of the Kantara franchise, whose first film Kantara had made a huge collection at the box office.Now, the film “Kantara chapter 1” has also made a comeback. It has broken records, collecting ₹890 crore and becoming the highest-grossing film of 2025. Along with this, the Kantara franchise has also made its place in the top 10 highest grossing movie franchises of India. Let us know about its key figures.
Box office breaks:
kantara chapter one movie roaring on Box office continuously. In the first two weeks it earned 717 Crore rupees worldwide
In its third week, Kantara: Chapter 1 continued a phenomenal box office run, collecting around ₹78–92 crore worldwide during its third week alone, pushing its total to approximately ₹765–890 crore globally . In India, the film’s net collection stood near ₹556 crore, with a gross domestic total of about ₹656 crore and an additional ₹108 crore coming from overseas markets . It also narrowly missed the record held by Chhaava for the highest third-week collection of the year. Despite this, Kantara Chapter 1 went on to surpass Chhaava’s lifetime earnings, becoming 2025’s highest-grossing Indian film by the end of the same week
the film crossed the ₹800 crore worldwide mark, with totals ranging between ₹807 crore and ₹890 crore, overtaking Chhaava to become the highest-grossing Indian movie of 2025. The Hindi dubbed version alone grossed around ₹189 crore, moving toward the ₹200 crore club — a rare achievement for a Kannada-origin film and second only to KGF 2 in Hindi markets.In addition, Kantara: Chapter 1 became the second highest grossing Kannada film of all time, just behind KGF Chapter 2, and entered the top 10 highest-grossing Indian films in history. Its success also marked the first time a Kannada film surpassed ₹100 crore in the Telugu states, underlining its impressive nationwide reach.
The movie’s milestones were further boosted by the announcement of an English-language release, scheduled for late October 2025, aiming to enhance its global footprint even further
Sequel:
According to reports, Kantara Chapter 2 is officially confirmed but is still in its early stages of development. It will act as the sequel to “Kantara: Chapter 1,” though chronologically, it will still explore events that occur before the original 2022 film — meaning it continues the prequel storyline, further expanding the legendary universe. Rishab Shetty and Hombale Films have not yet announced a release date. However, news outlets note that Shetty is currently juggling other major projects like “Jai Hanuman” and a Marathi period film on Chhatrapati Shivaji, so filming for Chapter 2 may not begin immediately. This suggests that Kantara: Chapter 2 will likely enter production around late 2026 or 2027, once his other commitments are complete.
About movie:
- DIRECTOR: RISHAB SHETTY (also the writer, lead actor, and creator of the original Kantara)
- CAST:
- Rishab Shetty as Berme
- Rukmini Vasanth as Kanakavathi (female lead)
- Gulshan Devaiah as King Kulashekara (antagonist)
- Jayaram as King Rajashekara (key supporting role)
- Rakesh Poojari as Peppe
- Prakash Thuminad as Chenna
- Pramod Shetty as Bhogendra
- Mime Ramdas
- Bala Rajwadi
- Deepak Rai Panaje
- Naveen D. Padil and others
- PRODUCTION COMPANY: Hombale Films
- PRODUSE BY:
- Vijay Kiragandur
- Chaluve Gowda
- BUDGET: 125 crore INR
- BOX OFFICE COLLECTION: 809 crore INR*
- RETURN: 647%*
- VERDICT: Blockbuster
- RANK:
- #Among the top 10 highest-grossing Indian films ever
- #Highest-grossing Indian film of 2025
- RATINGS:
- IMDb: 8.6/10
- ROTTEN TOMATOES:
- Critics score – 83%
- Audience score – 89%
- BASED ON: pre-colonial coastal Karnataka during the Kadamba dynasty, exploring the origin of Buta Kola traditions.
- ACHIEVEMENTS:
- The film has become the highest grossing Indian movie of 2025, surpassing CHHAAVA, with a global total exceeding ₹800 crore.
- In Karnataka, it became the first-ever film to gross over ₹200 crore, breaking its predecessor Kantara’s record of ₹183.6 crore.
- In the Telugu states, it passed ₹110 crore, making it the second dubbed Kannada film after KGF Chapter 2 to reach that milestone
- Kantara: Chapter One became the second-highest-grossing Kannada film of all time, behind KGF Chapter 2
Plot summary:
Kantara: Chapter One is set during the reign of the 4th-century Kadamba dynasty and explores the spiritual roots behind the Bhoota Kola ritual depicted in the original movie. The story follows Berme, a tribal warrior from Kantara, who becomes a key figure in the conflict between the local villagers and the Bangda kingdom, whose rulers want to exploit the forest for its valuable resources. Berme and Kanakavathi, the princess, develop a romantic bond, but political and mystical betrayals complicate matters. The king’s forces attack the village, leading to battles empowered by divine spirits. Kanakavathi is revealed to be conspiring against her own tribe to harness dark magic. Ultimately, Berme is possessed by powerful spirits, defeating the king and Kanakavathi to restore peace. At the end, Berme mysteriously disappears into a sacred well, setting up the story for KANTARA: CHAPTER TWO.
Impact of the movie:
The monumental success of Kantara: Chapter One deserves heartfelt appreciation for pushing the boundaries of Indian cinema. Rishab Shetty’s visionary storytelling, deeply rooted in folklore and spirituality, captivated audiences across languages and cultures. The film’s powerful blend of intense performances, stunning cinematography, and an immersive background score elevated it into a cinematic masterpiece. Beyond its artistic brilliance, Kantara: Chapter One broke several box office records, solidifying the rise of Kannada cinema on a national scale. Its cultural depth, authenticity, and emotional resonance have made it a landmark achievement in contemporary Indian filmmaking.
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