Kaantha Box Office Collection Day 3: Dulquer Salmaan’s Period Thriller Crosses Rs 13-Crore Mark

The much-awaited Tamil-language period thriller Kaantha hit the big screens on Friday, November 14 amid a mix of excitement and legal dispute. Helmed by Selvamani Selvaraj, the film stars Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, Bhagyashri Borse and Rana Daggubati.

Kaantha experienced a drop in box office collections over its opening weekend and earned mixed reviews in both Tamil and Telugu.

Kaantha Box Office Collection in The First Weekend

According to the trade portal Sacnilk, Kaantha earned an estimated Rs 3.87 crore in net collections across India on Sunday, pushing its domestic total to Rs 13.22 crore. The film opened with Rs 4.35 crore in India and Rs 10.50 crore worldwide. On Saturday, it saw an uptick, collecting Rs 5 crore in India and Rs 16 crore globally.

The film collected Rs 4.35 crore on Sunday, matching its opening day.

Occupancy Trends For Kaantha

Tamil Nadu continues to be the strongest market of Kaantha. The film registered an overall 26.70 per cent occupancy on Sunday. Afternoon and evening shows performed the best, reaching about 31.40 per cent and 31.16 per cent respectively, while morning and night shows also maintained steady numbers.

In the Telugu states, the film posted an overall occupancy of 16.96 per cent. Although lower than its Tamil performance, the trend improved through the day, with evening shows climbing to nearly 20 per cent.

The Legal Controversy Around Kaantha

The film has faced strong criticism for allegedly drawing from the life of legendary Tamil actor and musician M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT) which sparked debates on artistic freedom, defamation and filmmakers’ responsibilities.

Kaantha: Storyline

Set in 1950s Madras, Kaantha follows the volatile relationship between rising film star T. K. Mahadevan (Dulquer Salmaan) and his mentor Ayya (Samuthirakani), a filmmaker whose guidance eventually turns into conflict.

Bhagyashri Borse appears as Kumari, Mahadevan’s love interest, while Rana Daggubati plays Inspector Devaraj, known as “Phoenix,” a key figure in a mysterious crime that unfolds amid clashing egos and growing ambition.

Directed by Selvamani Selvaraj, Kaantha is backed by Dulquer Salmaan and Rana Daggubati under the banners of Wayfarer Films and Spirit Media. While early speculations suggested that Kaantha was a biopic of M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavatar, Dulquer Salmaan and Rana Daggubati have clarified that the film is completely a work of fiction.