The first Thursday of October 2025 was nothing short of a cinematic extravaganza for Indian audiences. Coinciding with the festive celebrations of Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti, two highly anticipated films made their way to the silver screen — Rishab Shetty’s mythological action spectacle Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 and Varun Dhawan–Janhvi Kapoor’s romantic comedy Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari (SSKTK). Both films were expected to rake in significant numbers given the holiday advantage, but the box office has clearly crowned one winner on Day 1.

The Grand Clash of Two Biggies

The Kannada magnum opus Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1, a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, had an explosive start, minting ₹60 crore on its opening day across India. Meanwhile, the Dharma Productions-backed rom-com Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari managed a respectable but much smaller ₹9.25 crore.

While both films benefited from the festive release date, the massive gap in collections made it clear that Rishab Shetty’s Kantara has emerged as the stronger contender at the ticket window.

Kantara Chapter 1 Box Office Day 1

Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 released in seven languages — Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, and English — ensuring a wide pan-India reach. The film, mounted on a huge budget of ₹125 crore, collected a staggering ₹60 crore on its first day.

The film stars Rishab Shetty himself in a new role, along with Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, and Jayaram in pivotal parts. Being a prequel set ten centuries before the events of the original Kantara, the film dives into the mythology and origin story that captivated audiences back in 2022.

Advance bookings reflected the craze, especially for the Hindi version, which alone was projected to collect between ₹12–15 crore on Day 1. According to Box Office India, the Hindi advance sales surpassed major Bollywood films like Jolly LLB 3 (₹3.23 crore) and Sitaare Zameen Par (₹3.30 crore). Despite being a weekday and the last night of Navratri festivities (when many were still engaged in Garba celebrations), the film still brought audiences to cinemas in large numbers.

Trade analyst Ramesh Bala shared, “Kantara: Chapter 1 has garnered 70% occupancy in morning shows across the country. The film is well on its way to becoming one of the biggest openers in Indian cinema this year.”

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari Box Office Day 1

On the other side, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, directed by Shashank Khaitan and headlined by Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, opened to a moderate ₹9.25 crore on Day 1. The rom-com also features Rohit Saraf and Sanya Malhotra in key roles and was released only in Hindi.

According to Sacnilk, the film recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 34.08%, with the highest being 43.65% in evening shows. The detailed occupancy report stood as follows:

• Morning shows: 14.77%

• Afternoon shows: 38.93%

• Evening shows: 43.65%

• Night shows: 38.95%

The performance, though moderate, was in line with advance booking trends. By Monday noon, four days before release, the rom-com had sold around 9,000 tickets nationwide, generating ₹29.32 lakh in advance booking collections. In comparison, Kantara Chapter 1’s Hindi dub had already sold 11,000+ tickets, grossing ₹33 lakh.

Despite being pitched as the festive Bollywood release, the film could not match up to Shashank Khaitan’s earlier success Badrinath Ki Dulhania, which had earned ₹12.27 crore on its opening day in 2017.

Film trade experts, however, are not entirely disappointed. With the rom-com genre traditionally relying on positive word-of-mouth rather than big openings, SSKTK still has the potential to grow over the weekend. As one insider noted, “We saw how ‘Saiyaara’ broke all records for rom-coms in theatres recently. If audiences respond positively, ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ could sustain and cross double digits in the coming days.”

The Holiday Advantage

Both films released on a national holiday (2nd October), which ensured higher footfalls in cinemas. While Kantara saw an unprecedented rush, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari also benefitted from the festive date, though not at the same scale. According to industry experts, Kantara commanded nearly 70% occupancy, while SSKTK started with 50% in the morning shows.

However, with Friday being a regular working day, a dip in numbers is expected for both films. The real test will be the upcoming weekend, where word-of-mouth could play a decisive role in shaping their box office trajectory.

#SunnySanskariKiTulsiKumari
Love romance masti comedy aur bahut saara entertainment. Milte hain 2nd oct ko cinemas mein https://t.co/dcZZsNB4YQ— Varun sunny sanskari Dhawan (@Varun_dvn) September 15, 2025

Comparing the Two Films’ Trajectories

Kantara’s Strengths:

• Pan-India release across seven languages.

• Massive pre-release buzz, especially in the Hindi belt, thanks to the success of the original film.

• Stellar advance bookings surpassing several Bollywood biggies.

• Grand visuals, mythological narrative, and action-heavy appeal catering to mass audiences.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’s Challenges:

• Released only in Hindi, limiting its reach compared to Kantara.

• Genre mismatch — rom-coms typically open slower than action-packed spectacles.

• Fierce competition with Kantara for screens and audiences.

Yet, trade experts believe that while Kantara Chapter 1 will continue to dominate, SSKTK can hold its own over the weekend if positive reviews and family audiences keep coming in.

The Stories They Tell

Kantara Chapter 1 takes viewers back ten centuries to explore the mystical origins of the legend, expanding the universe that mesmerized audiences in 2022. With Rishab Shetty once again donning multiple hats as actor, writer, and director, the film carries the weight of expectations but has already proven its mettle on Day 1.

On the other hand, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari offers a lighthearted romantic escape. The story revolves around Sunny (Varun Dhawan) and Tulsi (Janhvi Kapoor), who reconnect with their exes Ananya (Sanya Malhotra) and Vikram (Rohit Saraf) when fate ties their lives together amidst a wedding setup. Set in Delhi, the film is filled with vibrant rom-com beats and a star-studded cast, including Maniesh Paul and Akshay Oberoi in supporting roles.

A saga of folklore, faith, and fire, born from our soil 🔥

Presenting the #KantaraChapter1Trailer to you all.
🔗 https://t.co/5zBYagxUP0#KantaraChapter1 #KantaraChapter1onOct2 #Kantara

Witness the divine spectacle in theatres worldwide on October 2nd, 2025.@hombalefilms… pic.twitter.com/cWM7N5qA2M— Rishab Shetty (@shetty_rishab) September 22, 2025

Production & Team Behind the Films

Kantara Chapter 1 has been produced by Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda under the banner of Hombale Films. The production house is known for delivering pan-India spectacles like KGF and the original Kantara, and the scale of this prequel reflects their vision for mythological cinema.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari marks the reunion of Shashank Khaitan and Varun Dhawan after their hits Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and Badrinath Ki Dulhania. The film has been bankrolled by Dharma Productions’ Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, and Apoorva Mehta, along with Adar Poonawalla and Khaitan himself, under Mentor Disciple Entertainment.

Final Verdict: Day 1 Box Office Battle

There’s no doubt that Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 has stormed the box office with a phenomenal ₹60 crore Day 1 collection, overshadowing Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’s moderate ₹9.25 crore opening.

But while Kantara has set itself on the path of becoming a massive blockbuster, SSKTK may still carve its own niche over the weekend if positive word-of-mouth translates into stronger family audiences and repeat viewings.

In essence, October 2, 2025, gave cine-goers a rare feast — a grand mythological epic and a breezy rom-com clashing head-on. One may have won the opening day battle, but the weekend will determine the real fate of both films.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

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