'Kantara Chapter 1' wows UK audiences with standing ovations while Indian fans re-enact possession scenes

Highlights:

• Cinema halls across India see fans reeling from the film’s intense spiritual sequences.
• A UK premiere audience gave the film a rousing standing ovation, stunning the team.
• The prequel dives into the origins of the Bhuta Kola ritual from the first film.
• Social media flooded with clips of viewers appearing possessed after screenings.
• The film smashed box office records with an opening day haul of over £6 million (₹65 crore).

Looks like Rishab Shetty hasn't just made a film; he's bottled some kind of lightning because Kantara Chapter 1 is hitting people right in the gut. You've got viewers stumbling out of theatres looking shell-shocked, a few even copying those wild possession scenes right there in the cinema. And it's not just an Indian thing. The film’s recent UK premiere was met with a thunderous standing ovation, showing this story's pull extends far beyond its home turf. Then the numbers landed, a whopping £6.2 million (₹65 crore) on day one. Seems like the figures are backing up the frenzy.

Kantara Chapter 1 opens to record £6 million day as UK and Indian audiences respond Instagram/kantarafilm

What is driving the extreme audience reactions?

You might have seen the videos all over now. A woman shaking in her seat, people around her trying to help. Then another clip from Bengaluru where a man in a dhoti is spinning on the floor, chanting just like Rishab Shetty's character. It's like the movie doesn't end when the credits roll. For some people, it just keeps going. The film pulls you in that completely.

How did the UK premiere audience react to Kantara Chapter 1?

And this isn't just happening in Karnataka. That UK premiere? The place went crazy in London when the credits rolled. The whole crowd was up in seconds for a proper, roaring standing ovation that just didn't let up. You could see the team were a bit blown away by it, honestly.

It shows the story’s core themes of faith, tradition, and man’s connection to nature are cutting across cultural lines, giving the diaspora a powerful piece of home and introducing others to something entirely new.

What is the box office story for Kantara Chapter 1?

Let’s talk numbers, because they are just as crazy as the fan videos. The film opened on October 2nd and immediately set the box office alight, bulldozing past the opening day collections of other major releases this year.

- YouTube youtu.be

From struggling to get screen space for his earlier work, Rishab Shetty now commands over 5000 houseful shows, a journey he calls "nothing but your love, support, and God’s grace."