Is Rishab Shetty's Kantara: Chapter 1 setting up a clash with Yash's Toxic at the box office?

Vijay Kiragandur, the co-founder of Hombale Films, is currently gearing up to bring their next film, Salaar: Ceasefire to theatres. The Prabhas-led film is headed to screens on December 22. Also creating buzz in industry circles at the same time is one of his next productions, Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1, the prequel to the 2022 hit Kantara. Rishab is currently in the final stages of pre-production, putting the cast in place and is set to go on floors shortly and Vijay says that the team is hopeful of bringing the film to theatres within the next 12-15 months.

Speaking to Bollywood Hugama, Vijay said that the team is working towards an end of 2024 or, first quarter of 2025 release. Considering that Rishab is yet to begin shooting and that the film will require extensive VFX work, which is time-consuming, a 2025 outing seems more likely for Kantara: Chapter 1. An Ugadi release in March 2025 would be ideal; the festival falls on March 30, which puts Kantara: Chapter 1 as a March 28 theatrical outing. An end of first quarter or early second quarter release would, however, mean that Rishab’s film will look at a box office clash with Yash’s much-awaited next.

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On December 8, Yash had announced the title and release date of his next. Called Toxic, the Geetu Mohandas directed film will be in theatres on April 10, 2025, they’d said. If Kantara: Chapter 1 releases in close proximity to this date, given the warm reception Kantara had received across the country, there will, no doubt, be a similar outpouring of love for Rishab’s prequel story, which is rumoured to address the origin story of Panjurly daiva. This, in turn, will mean that Kantara: Chapter 1 and Toxic will clash at the box office.

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