Kaatera Box Office Collection - Darshan's film makes strong start, eyes solid opening weekend

Tharun Sudhir and Darshan Thoogudeepa's second full-length collaboration 'Kaatera' arrived in cinemas on December 29th amid tremendous fanfare. One expected the film to not only conclude 2023 for Kannada cinema on a high but also fetch the superstar actor the commercial hit that has been due for a while. And luckily, the film has attracted almost unanimously positive reviews from all corners, with many even opining that this is one of Darshan's best performances to date.

The same reception is now reflected in the box office collections as the latest trade reports reveal that 'Kaatera' has collected over Rs. 11 crores (net) on its opening day. This is a great start for the film considering that it has been released worldwide in Kannada alone, with Karnataka being its main region of business. If one were to consider the gross collections of the film, the figure is likely to inch quite close to the Rs. 15 crore mark.

Also Read: Kaatera review - Challenging Star Darshan is solid, effective in Tharun Sudhir's well-meaning film

However, one finds posts/reports on social media of 'Kaatera' grossing as many as Rs. 19.79 crores on Day 1 but there seems no confirmation of the same from the makers' end. Regardless, the Challenging Star's latest film has potentially become the film with the highest opening-day collections in Karnataka, surpassing the likes of 'Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire', 'Jawaan' and others.

It would now be interesting to see how 'Kaatera' fares through the opening weekend of its theatrical run and whether, or not, it would be able to capitalize on the solid start. There have been a few concerns flagged regarding the slightly under-par screen count for the film and demands have subsequently come forth from fans to address the matter. 

Also Read: Kaatera audience review - Netizens super impressed with Maasthi's dialogues, V Harikrishna's BGM

Prior to its release, there were a few apprehensions related to 'Kaatera' receiving stiff competition from 'Salaar: Ceasefire' and 'Dunki'. However, with the latter films now seeming "threatening" anymore, one does expect to see the Kannada film having a freer go at the box office.