Kaantha Box Office Collection Day 3: Dulquer Salmaan's period film crosses ₹10 crore amid legal row, mints this much

The much-anticipated Tamil-language period thriller ‘Kaantha’ arrived in cinemas on November 14, 2025 amid both fanfare and legal turmoil. Directed by Selvamani Selvaraj, and starring Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, Bhagyashri Borse, and Rana Daggubati, the film is being promoted as a fictional drama set in the 1950s.

‘Kaantha’ Box Office Performance Day 2

‘Kaantha’ opened with modest box office numbers on its first day. On Day 1, it collected approximately ₹4.35 crore, split into ₹2.65 crore in Tamil markets and ₹1.70 crore in Telugu markets.

On the second day, the film earned around ₹4.85 crore (Tamil: ₹3.25 crore; Telugu: ₹1.60 crore), marking roughly an 11.49% increase from Day 1. As of 2:30 pm on the third day (a Sunday), early estimates put the take at ₹0.97 crore, bringing the three-day cumulative to around ₹10.17 crore.

However, occupancy figures tell a more cautious story. On Day 3 (Sunday), for the Tamil 2D version, morning shows saw only 16.91% occupancy, and there were reportedly no patrons for the afternoon, evening, or night shows. Region-wise breakdown reveals some stark disparities: Chennai theatres showed about 25% occupancy, while Bengaluru managed a mere 6%.

Other regions fared better — Pondicherry at 33%, Trichy 21%, Coimbatore 15%, Vellore 17%, and Mumbai and NCR both at 19%.

These numbers suggest a tepid weekend performance, especially for a film with high expectations. The weak Sunday turnout, especially after a decent uptick on Saturday, could reflect either mixed word-of-mouth or unease surrounding the film’s controversial undertones.

Despite its fictional status, the movie has sparked a serious backlash over perceived links to the life of legendary Tamil actor and musician M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT) — raising questions about artistic freedom, defamation, and the responsibilities of filmmakers.

The Story of ‘Kaantha’

Set in 1950s Madras, ‘Kaantha’ chronicles the intense and turbulent relationship between T. K. Mahadevan (played by Dulquer Salmaan), a rising film star, and his mentor Ayya (Samuthirakani), a director who guides – and later clashes with – his protégé.

Bhagyashri Borse plays Kumari, Mahadevan’s love interest, while Rana Daggubati portrays Inspector Devaraj, alias “Phoenix,” a character central to a mysterious crime that unfolds as egos and ambition collide.

The film was jointly produced by Dulquer Salmaan and Rana Daggubati under the banners of Wayfarer Films and Spirit Media, respectively. While initial speculation suggested ‘Kaantha’ was a biopic of M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, the makers have insisted it is entirely fictional.

Dulquer and Rana have publicly denied that the film is a biographical portrait.

Who Is Kaantha Really Based On?

The real controversy, however, lies precisely in that speculation. B. Thiagarajan, the grandson of M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, has filed a case in a Chennai court, seeking a permanent injunction against the film’s theatrical release, streaming, and distribution. He alleges that ‘Kaantha’ defames his grandfather by portraying him as a man of “loose morals” who ended his life blind, impoverished, and disrespected.

In his petition, Thiagarajan insists this portrayal is “false, misleading, and damaging”: according to him, Bhagavathar was never fully blind, nor did he die in poverty, but lived with dignity until his death in 1959.

He further argues that the filmmakers should have obtained permission from his family before making a film with such obvious parallels.

On the other hand, the producers maintain that any resemblance to MKT is coincidental. Dulquer Salmaan has emphasised in interviews that ‘Kaantha’ is a work of complete fiction, not a biopic.