Kantara: Chapter 1 earned around Rs. 3.50 crore in its sixth weekend, reflecting a sharp 65% drop from the previous weekend — which had already seen a dip due to the film’s digital release. Despite this slowdown, the latest weekend collection was enough to push its total past Chhaava, making Kantara: Chapter 1 the highest-grossing film of the year in India so far. While the year isn’t over yet, the film seems poised to retain its top spot unless Dhurandhar or Avatar 3 manages to pull off a big box-office surprise.
Currently, Kantara: Chapter 1 ranks eighth on the list of all-time highest-grossing Indian films and is expected to move up to the seventh position within the next few days.
Its total earnings now stand at approximately Rs. 697 crore — just short of the Rs. 700 crore milestone. Ideally, the film would have crossed that mark last week, but the early digital release halted its theatrical momentum. The milestone should still be achieved soon, though it may be a close finish.
Industry analysts estimate that the film may lose around Rs. 15–20 crore because of its premature streaming release. While this won’t significantly impact Kantara’s overall success, it raises broader concerns for the industry. With audiences now conditioned to wait only a few weeks to stream new releases for free, theatrical revenues are taking a major hit. Today, the loss might seem minor, but over time, even the opening collections of big and midscale films could face serious consequences — a trend already visible in the post-pandemic box office landscape.