Kantara: Chapter 1 made a roaring start in India, taking the domestic box office by storm. Released last Thursday, the Rishab Shetty directorial opened to packed houses and impressive word of mouth. The film collected around ₹90 crore on its opening day and crossed ₹300 crore during the weekend. While it continues to maintain steady momentum in India, the overseas market, particularly the USA is proving to be a much tougher challenge.
Trade experts say that for Kantara: Chapter 1 to break even in the USA, it needs to collect at least USD 7 million in total. However, the initial response was relatively modest. The premiere and opening weekend together brought in around USD 2.9 million, which is below the projected mark.
The US market has been a key territory for Indian films in recent years, especially for content-driven projects like Kantara. However, competition from ongoing Hollywood releases, limited screen expansion, and the film’s rural mythological setting may have narrowed its audience base among non-South viewers.
Still, industry insiders believe all hope isn’t lost. With rave reviews, organic buzz, and growing appreciation from Kannada and Telugu audiences abroad, Kantara: Chapter 1 has the potential to sustain over the next few weeks. If word of mouth converts into steady weekday and weekend attendance, the film could close the gap significantly.
Back home, the film continues to dominate the Indian box office, ensuring a strong overall run for the production. But for the overseas distributors, especially in the US, a big push over the coming weeks is absolutely essential.
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