Dulquer Salmaan's 'Kaantha' Makes a Steady Box Office Debut
Dulquer Salmaan's newest cinematic offering, the Tamil-language period drama thriller 'Kaantha', has recorded a steady and promising opening at the domestic box office. Released worldwide on November 14 to coincide with Children's Day, the film managed to pull in an impressive collection on its first day, setting a positive tone for its theatrical run.
Breaking Down the Day 1 Box Office Numbers
According to early estimates reported by the tracking site Sacnilk, 'Kaantha' earned ₹2.12 crore nett in India on its opening day. This figure represents the total India nett collection, marking a solid start for a content-driven period film. Bankrolled by Dulquer Salmaan's own Wayfarer Films in collaboration with Spirit Media, the film's performance is being closely watched.
The day one occupancy for Tamil (2D) shows showed a growing interest as the day progressed. The film registered an attendance of 14.60% for morning shows, which saw a healthy jump to 19.06% for afternoon shows. Data for evening and night shows was not recorded at the time of the initial report.
The film's appeal varied significantly across different regional markets within South India:
- Chennai led the pack with a strong 24.50% occupancy.
- Pondicherry followed closely at 23.50%.
- Kochi and Trichy both recorded a respectable 20%.
- Coimbatore saw 15.00% attendance.
Other major Indian markets showed more modest numbers, with Trivandrum at 9.50%, Bengaluru at 7.00%, Mumbai at 6.00%, and the NCR region at 5.50%.
The Legal Controversy Shadowing the Release
Just days before its scheduled worldwide release, 'Kaantha' became embroiled in a legal controversy. A petition was filed in a Chennai court by B. Thiagarajan, the grandson of legendary Tamil actor and musician M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT).
The petitioner sought a permanent injunction to halt the film's release, distribution, and future streaming rights. He alleged that the film, directed by Selvamani Selvaraj, portrayed his grandfather as 'a man of loose morals' who lived his final years in poverty and blindness. Thiagarajan argued that this depiction was false, historically inaccurate, and defamatory to the memory of the respected figure, who passed away in 1959.
The petition further stated that the filmmakers should have obtained permission from Bhagavathar's legal heirs before creating a narrative that could be interpreted as drawing from his life. In response to these allegations, Dulquer Salmaan had previously clarified in interviews that 'Kaantha' is entirely a work of fiction and not based on any real-life personality. The production team had not issued an official statement at the time the news broke.
What is 'Kaantha' About?
'Kaantha' is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language period drama thriller set in the 1950s Madras. The film stars Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, Bhagyashri Borse, and Rana Daggubati, who is also a co-producer under Spirit Media alongside Dulquer's Wayfarer Films.
The story revolves around Ayya, a reputed Tamil film director, and his fractured relationship with T. K. Mahadevan, an actor he helped build into a star. The central conflict ignites when Mahadevan changes the title of a women-centric production from 'Shaantha' to 'Kaantha' to suit his own public image. This act escalates tensions, ultimately spiraling into a murder mystery involving Mahadevan, Ayya, or a character named Kumari.
With its strong early box office performance, positive early talk around its period setting and performances, and Dulquer Salmaan's dedicated fan base, 'Kaantha' is expected to see growth over the weekend. The box office trends over the next two days will be crucial in determining if the film can build on its steady opening and achieve commercial success.
