A major box office clash is on the horizon as two highly anticipated films — Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari and Kantara: Chapter 1 — are set to release on October 2, 2025. While one promises a colorful, emotion-driven family drama from the house of Dharma Productions, the other offers a gripping mythological action thriller rooted in regional folklore from Hombale Films.
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari stars Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor in their second collaboration after Bawaal(2023). Directed by Shashank Khaitan, known for hits like Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, the film is expected to bring back the charm of traditional Bollywood romance. With a star-studded cast including Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, Akshay Oberoi, and Maniesh Paul, the film targets a wide family audience and is positioned as a quintessential Dharma entertainer.
On the other hand, Kantara: Chapter 1 is a mythological action thriller written, directed by, and starring Rishab Shetty. Serving as a prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, the film dives deeper into the origins of the divine tradition and ancestral conflict depicted in the original. Set in pre-colonial coastal Karnataka during the reign of the Kadambas of Banavasi, the story is expected to explore the roots of the Bhuta Kola ritual and its spiritual significance. Produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films, this film will likely attract audiences who appreciated the cultural depth and cinematic intensity of the first chapter.
With both films releasing on a national holiday — Gandhi Jayanti — the stakes are high. While Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is likely to draw urban multiplex crowds and fans of romantic family dramas, Kantara: Chapter 1 has the potential to dominate in southern markets and among viewers drawn to intense, mythology-based storytelling. It’s a classic Dharma vs. Hombale clash — modern mainstream Bollywood versus rooted regional cinema with pan-India appeal. All eyes are now on October 2 to see which narrative wins the audience’s hearts and the box office race.