Dulquer Salmaan's highly anticipated period drama Kaantha has made a modest debut at the box office, collecting approximately Rs 4 crore on its opening day according to industry tracker Sacnilk. The film, which released across more than 2,000 screens in India primarily in Tamil and Telugu languages, opened on November 15, 2025.
Occupancy Rates Across Regions
The film recorded an overall 21.68% occupancy in its home state of Tamil Nadu, with viewership showing a steady increase throughout the day. Morning shows began at 14.6%, rising to 19.06% in the afternoon, dipping slightly to 18.62% in the evening, and finally climbing to 34.44% for night shows.
Chennai emerged as the strongest market with 373 shows and a healthy 29.5% occupancy rate. However, Bengaluru delivered disappointing numbers with only 9.5% occupancy across 205 shows. The Telugu market also underperformed with an overall 19.46% occupancy, surprising given Dulquer Salmaan's established fan base in the region.
Comparative Box Office Performance
When measured against Dulquer Salmaan's recent releases, Kaantha's opening appears subdued. His 2024 hit Lucky Baskhar opened stronger at Rs 6.45 crore, while the Malayalam action film King of Kotha debuted with Rs 6.85 crore despite ultimately underperforming.
However, the period drama has outperformed some notable releases. It surpassed the widely-loved Telugu romance Sita Ramam (2022) which opened at Rs 3.05 crore and significantly beat his last Tamil release, the romantic comedy Hey Sinamika that earned only Rs 1 crore on opening day.
Against other Tamil releases of 2025, Kaantha opened above the surprise hit Tourist Family (Rs 2 crore) and slightly ahead of Vikram's Veera Dheera Sooran (Rs 3.2 crore). It also outperformed Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, a superhero film produced by Dulquer Salmaan himself, which collected Rs 3.15 crore on opening day.
Legal Controversy and Future Prospects
The film's release was clouded by controversy when the grandson of legendary Tamil actor-musician MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar filed a legal challenge in a Chennai court just days before the worldwide premiere. The lawsuit alleged that the film portrayed his grandfather in a defamatory and distorted manner.
While the makers haven't issued an official statement regarding the legal dispute, Dulquer Salmaan had previously clarified that Kaantha is entirely fictional and not inspired by any real person. This legal controversy, combined with mixed reviews from critics, has created uncertainty around the film's performance.
With its Rs 4 crore opening, Kaantha finds itself in a challenging position. While it hasn't matched the blockbuster openings of major pan-India Tamil releases like Coolie (Rs 77 crore), Good Bad Ugly (Rs 29.25 crore), Kubera (Rs 14.75 crore), and Madharaasi (Rs 13.65 crore), it has established a base that could potentially grow over the weekend.
All eyes are now on how Kaantha performs during its crucial first weekend, which will determine whether the film can build momentum despite the legal challenges and mixed critical reception. The industry will be watching closely to see if word-of-mouth can boost the film's collections in the coming days.
