When two films hit the theaters on the same day, the box office battle can be intense, but what happens when one is a romantic comedy and the other is a prequel to a cultural phenomenon? Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor’s Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari (SSKTK) faced just that when it released alongside Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 on October 2. But here’s where it gets interesting: while SSKTK had a respectable start, Kantara’s pan-India appeal and multi-language release (Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam) gave it a massive edge. And this is the part most people miss—Kantara isn’t just a film; it’s a franchise powerhouse, with the 2022 original becoming a cultural sensation. So, how did SSKTK fare in this David-vs-Goliath scenario? Let’s dive in.
SSKTK, also starring Sanya Malhotra and Rohit Saraf, opened with a solid ₹9.25 crore on its first day. However, the numbers began to dip, dropping to ₹5.5 crore by Friday. The weekend brought a slight rebound, with ₹7.5 crore on both Saturday and Sunday. But from Monday onward, the film struggled, settling into the ₹2–3 crore range. Discounted ticket prices helped it manage ₹3.25 crore on the first Tuesday, but by the second week, collections hovered around ₹1–3 crore daily. By its 13th day, SSKTK earned ₹1.40 crore, bringing its total to ₹52.60 crore, as per Sacnilk. Not bad, right? But here’s the controversial part: is a ₹52.60 crore collection enough when your competitor is crossing ₹450 crore in just 12 days?
Kantara: Chapter 1 has been on a dream run, shattering records and proving its franchise’s unstoppable appeal. Meanwhile, SSKTK’s performance raises questions about the box office viability of romantic comedies in today’s market, especially when pitted against larger-than-life franchises. But let’s not forget—SSKTK held its ground with a modest budget and a niche audience. So, is it fair to compare the two, or should we celebrate their successes separately? Let’s discuss in the comments—do you think SSKTK could have done better, or was Kantara simply too big to compete with?
