The festive season has set the stage for a major box office clash. On October 2, a national holiday, two big films Kantara: Chapter 1 and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari will release, sparking fierce competition for audience attention.
Surprisingly, Rishabh Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1, even in its Hindi-dubbed version, is giving tough competition to Dharma Productions’ rom-com. Reports say Anil Thadani’s AA Films has locked 260 single-screen theatres in the CP Berar territory for Kantara.
As per the deal, 100% of shows in these theatres will screen Kantara, with no show sharing. In contrast, Dharma’s in-house distribution team has so far secured only four single-screen theatres in the same circuit and is still trying to expand.
The CP Berar circuit, covering Vidarbha, parts of Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, has around 275 single-screen theatres. If this trend reflects the national scenario, the numbers could heavily tilt in favour of Kantara.
What’s surprising is that despite not having massive pre-release hype, Kantara: Chapter 1 has managed to edge out a big Hindi film from a top production house. Fans are questioning Karan Johar’s silence, while others argue that Kantara doesn’t deserve so many shows compared to films like Pushpa or KGF.
With theatres divided and fans debating online, the October 2 clash is shaping up to be one of the most intense battles at the Indian box office this year.
