October 2 isn’t just gandhi Jayanti this year — it’s the bloodiest battlefield for indian cinema. On one side, you have Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1, a divine folklore-meets-fury saga that nobody thought would dominate outside Karnataka. On the other hand, dharma Productions’ glossy rom-com Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. But before the clash even began, one side had already been choked out of theatres.
Anil Thadani’s AA Films pulled off a ruthless deal in the CP Berar circuit: 260 single screens, 100% locked for Kantara, zero for Dharma. Meanwhile, karan Johar’s team has managed to scrape together just four theatres. The “fight” looks less like a clash and more like a slaughter.
So the question now isn’t just who will win at the box office. It’s whether the game itself was fair to begin with.
1. 260 vs 4 — Numbers Don’t Lie
CP Berar has 275 single screens. Kantara grabbed 260. dharma got 4. If this isn’t annihilation, what is?
2. Anil Thadani Played It Like a Gangster
AA Films pulled off a ruthless lockout deal — every single screen, all shows, no sharing. For Dharma, that means begging for multiplex scraps.
3. karan Johar’s Silence Is Deafening
Usually quick to post his frustrations, KJo has been radio silent. Fans are asking — why no outrage? Or did dharma underestimate Kantara’s pull?
4. No Pre-Release Hype, All Pre-Release Muscle
Kantara didn’t have a Bollywood-level PR blitz or social media trending campaigns. Yet, it bulldozed through single-screen negotiations. Power > PR.
5. A Rom-Com vs a Ritual — Who Wins Rural India?
Single screens are lifelines of mass circuits like Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh. Between a folklore action epic and a candyfloss rom-com, the choice was obvious. Exhibitors picked the film that packs halls, not hashtags.
6. Is This Fair or Monopolistic?
Fans are split — some call it strategy, others call it screen hijacking. Should one film be allowed to lock out 100% of single screens? Or is this the new survival game in indian cinema?
7. The Clash Was Over Before It Began
By release day, the “clash” already looks one-sided. Kantara doesn’t just have an edge — it has the entire mountain, while dharma clings to a pebble.
Outro / Bottom Line
October 2 was supposed to be a box office clash. Instead, it’s a case study in power politics. Kantara: Chapter 1 walked in quietly, grabbed every single screen, and left dharma with crumbs. The real debate isn’t just about which film the audience will choose — it’s about whether the audience even gets a choice.
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