# Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1’ Surges Past Prabhas’s ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ to Claim 12th Spot in Indian Cinema’s All-Time Blockbuster Pantheon
October 13, 2025**
In the folklore-fueled frenzy that's gripped Indian cinema this year, Rishab Shetty's ‘Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1’ isn't just rewriting Kannada box-office history—it's etching itself into the annals of all-time Indian greats. Released on October 2, 2025, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra, the prequel to the 2022 sleeper hit ‘Kantara’ has roared to a staggering ₹590 crore worldwide gross in just 10 days, eclipsing Prabhas's epic ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ (2015) and storming into the 12th position among the highest-grossing Indian films ever. This milestone, confirmed by trade trackers like Sacnilk and Hombale Films, marks a seismic shift: a regional Kannada tale of divine spirits and tribal defiance has toppled one of Tollywood's foundational blockbusters. With the film eyeing ₹600 crore by week's end and a third chapter already teased, Shetty's vision is proving that cultural authenticity can outmuscle spectacle. Let's dissect the numbers, the narrative, and what this means for Indian cinema's evolving blockbuster blueprint.
## The Box-Office Blitz: From ₹61 Crore Opener to ₹590 Crore Juggernaut
‘Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1’ didn't just open—it erupted. Day 1 hauled in ₹61.85 crore worldwide (Kannada: ₹19.6 Cr, Hindi: ₹18.5 Cr, Telugu: ₹13 Cr), the biggest Thursday ever for an Indian film in 2025, fueled by Dussehra hype and IMAX/Dolby rollouts across 4,000+ screens globally. By Day 7, it crossed ₹451 crore, surpassing Ayan Mukerji's ‘Brahmastra Part One: Shiva’ (₹431 Cr) and Rajkumar Hirani's ‘3 Idiots’ (₹450 Cr). Week 1 wrapped at ₹509 crore, per producers Hombale Films—the same banner behind ‘KGF: Chapter 2’.
The second weekend turbocharged the run: Day 10 added ₹37 crore net in India alone, pushing domestic gross to ₹476 crore (net: ₹396.65 Cr) and worldwide to ₹590 crore (estimates vary slightly to ₹560 Cr by trade insiders). Overseas markets chipped in $8 million+ early on, with North America and the Gulf leading dubbed versions' charge. Hindi dubs alone hit ₹100 Cr net, while Kannada (₹99 Cr) underscored the film's regional roots-turned-pan-India storm.
This trajectory has already dethroned 2025 heavyweights like Rajinikanth's ‘Coolie’ (₹518 Cr lifetime) and Hrithik-Yash's ‘War’ (₹475 Cr), making ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ the third-biggest hit of the year behind only ‘Chhaava’ (₹800+ Cr) and another 2025 titan. But the real coup? Overtaking ‘Baahubali: The Beginning's’ ₹600–650 Cr lifetime haul—a film that redefined Indian epics a decade ago with its ₹263 Cr opening week and $10.94M overseas. At current legs (66% weekend jump), analysts predict a final worldwide tally of ₹700–800 Cr, potentially crashing the top 10.
Here's a day-by-day worldwide gross breakdown for the first week:
| Day | Date (2025) | Worldwide Gross (₹ Cr) | Key Notes |
|-----|-------------|-------------------------|-----------|
| 1 | Oct 2 (Thu) | 61.85 | Record Thursday; IMAX boost |
| 2 | Oct 3 (Fri) | 45.4 | 26% drop, strong Hindi hold |
| 3 | Oct 4 (Sat) | 55 | Weekend surge begins |
| 4 | Oct 5 (Sun) | 63 | Peak day; family crowds |
| 5 | Oct 6 (Mon) | 31.5 | 50% weekday dip |
| 6 | Oct 7 (Tue) | 33.5 | Steady midweek |
| 7 | Oct 8 (Wed) | 19.04 | Week total: ₹310 Cr domestic |
| **Week 1 Total** | | **509** | Beats ‘Kantara’ (2022) lifetime |
*Source: Times of India & Hindustan Times trackers*
## The Epic Clash: Why ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ Toppled ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’
‘Baahubali: The Beginning’, S.S. Rajamouli's magnum opus, was a game-changer: Prabhas's Shiva discovering his royal roots amid waterfalls and war elephants, grossing ₹600–650 Cr worldwide on a ₹180 Cr budget (estimated). It shattered Telugu records, became the second-highest Indian grosser then (behind ‘3 Idiots’), and spawned a franchise worth ₹2,400 Cr. But inflation-adjusted, its real firepower was in spectacle—VFX-heavy battles and a cliffhanger that built hype for ‘The Conclusion’ (₹1,800+ Cr).
Enter ‘Kantara Chapter 1’: Shetty's raw, ritualistic dive into 11th-century Kadamba dynasty lore, where tribal warrior Berme (Shetty) battles King Vijayendra for the sacred Kantara forest's spice gardens. Co-starring Rukmini Vasanth as Princess Kanakavathi, Gulshan Devaiah as scheming Prince Kulashekara, and Jayaram as King Rajashekara, it's a prequel unpacking the Panjurli Daiva spirit from the original ‘Kantara’ (₹408 Cr). No CGI colossi here—just Bhuta Kola possession dances, practical stunts with 2,000 extras, and a score blending folk and orchestral thunder.
The edge? Authenticity over artifice. While ‘Baahubali’ dazzled with Hollywood-scale VFX (budget: $40M+ adjusted), ‘Kantara’ (₹100 Cr est.) leaned on Karnataka's coastal folklore, drawing 70% from South India but exploding nationally via Hindi dubs. Critics raved: Bollywood Hungama's 4/5 hailed it as "a cinematic showcase deepening Shetty's world," while The Guardian echoed its "crowd-pleasing" vibes. Post-pandemic audiences crave roots—‘Kantara's’ 2022 word-of-mouth (₹408 Cr on ₹25 Cr) proved it, and Chapter 1 amplified with starrier casting and 4DX/IMAX.
Snapshot of the showdown:
| Film | Release Year | Worldwide Gross (₹ Cr) | Budget (₹ Cr) | Key Strength | Verdict |
|------|--------------|-------------------------|---------------|--------------|---------|
| **Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1** | 2025 | **590+ (10 days)** | ~100 | Cultural immersion, pan-India dubs | All-Time Blockbuster |
| Baahubali: The Beginning | 2015 | 600–650 (lifetime) | 180 | Epic VFX, franchise launch | Blockbuster |
## Cracking the All-Time Top 12: A New Era for Regional Rage
With ₹590 Cr, ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ vaults past ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ into the 12th spot on Indian cinema's eternal leaderboard, per updated Wikipedia and Box Office India tallies. It joins an elite club dominated by Aamir Khan's ‘Dangal’ (₹2,024 Cr) and Rajamouli's own ‘Baahubali 2’ (₹1,800+ Cr), but signals South India's stranglehold—eight of the top 12 are non-Hindi.
Top 12 highest-grossing Indian films worldwide (as of Oct 13, 2025):
| Rank | Film | Year | Worldwide Gross (₹ Cr) |
|------|------|------|-------------------------|
| 1 | Dangal | 2016 | 2,024 |
| 2 | Baahubali 2: The Conclusion | 2017 | 1,800+ |
| 3 | K.G.F: Chapter 2 | 2022 | 1,250 |
| 4 | RRR | 2022 | 1,200+ |
| 5 | Pathaan | 2023 | 1,050+ |
| 6 | Jawan | 2023 | 1,150 |
| 7 | Animal | 2023 | 900+ |
| 8 | Chhaava | 2025 | 800+ |
| 9 | Kalki 2898 AD | 2024 | 1,100+ (adjusted) |
| 10 | Secret Superstar | 2017 | 900+ |
| 11 | Bajrangi Bhaijaan | 2015 | 905.6 |
| **12** | **Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1** | **2025** | **590+** |
*Compiled from Wikipedia, Sacnilk, & Britannica; figures approximate & inflation-unadjusted*
This ascent—beating ‘Saiyaara’, ‘Sanju’ (₹590 Cr est.), and ‘Dhoom 3’ (₹558 Cr)—highlights 2025's regional renaissance. ‘Chhaava’ (Vicky Kaushal's Maratha epic) leads the year at ₹800 Cr, but Shetty's film is the surprise disruptor, second-highest Kannada ever behind ‘KGF 2’.
## Legacy in the Making: Shetty's Daiva vs. Prabhas's Dynasty
Rishab Shetty, the multi-hyphenate force behind both ‘Kantara’ films, channels his coastal roots into a saga teasing Chapter 2 (1970s Bhuta Kola vanishings) and beyond. Prabhas's ‘Baahubali’ launched a pan-India blueprint; Shetty's is subverting it with spirit over swords. As ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ hurtles toward ₹700 Cr, it begs: Will folklore fuel the next ₹2,000 Cr monster? Or is this just Shetty's opening gambit?
Box-office battles aside, both films prove Indian cinema's global hunger—for epics that resonate soul-deep.
*Is ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ the new ‘Baahubali’? Or overhyped hype? Sound off below. For more cinema conquests, subscribe to Grok Insights.*
