Kannada-language movies are made by Sandalwood (Kannada cinema). The first talkie movie in Kannada was Sati Sulochana, directed by Y. V. Rao, which came out in 1934.
Highest grossing Kannada movies legacy
- The first Kannada movie Harishchandra was the first movie to gross one crore.
- The first Kannada movie Om was Om the first movie to gross 10 crores.
- The first Kannada movie Mungaru Male was the first movie to gross 50 crores.
- The first Kannada movie Raajakumara was the first movie to gross 75 crores.
- The first Kannada movie K.G.F Chapter 1 was the first movie to gross 100 crores.
- The first Kannada movie K.G.F Chapter 2 was the first movie to gross 1000 crores.
Highest grossing Kannada movies worldwide
| RANK | Movie Name | Director | Budget | Life Time Gross | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K.G.F: Chapter 2 | Prashanth Neel | 100 crore | 1,220 crore | + |
| 2 | Kantara | Rishab Shetty | 15 crore | 400 crore | + |
| 3 | K.G.F: Chapter 1 | Prashanth Neel | 100 crore | 250 crore | + |
| 4 | James | Chethan Kumar | 55 crore | 150 crore | + |
| 5 | Vikrant Rona | Anup Bhandari | 100 crore | 120 crore | + |
| 6 | 777 Charlie | Kiranraj K | 15 crore | 108 crore | + |
| 7 | Robert | Tharun Sudhir | 40 crore | 100 crore | + |
| 8 | Kurukshetra | Naganna | 50 crore | 90 crore | + |
| 9 | Raajakumara | Santhosh Ananddram | 30 crore | 75 crore | + |
| 10 | Mungaru Male | Yogaraj Bhat | 0.7 crore | 70 crore | + |
Kannada cinema, also known as Sandalwood, has produced some of the highest grossing movies of all time. If you’re a fan of Kannada movies, you’ll want to check out this list of the top highest grossing Kannada movies. From action dramas to coming-of-age romances, these films have set the bar high for the industry and have helped bring Kannada cinema to the mainstream.
KGF: Chapter 1 (2018) – This film directed by Prashanth Neel grossed over 250 crores worldwide, Fist ever movie to break all the records, making it one of the highest grossing Kannada movies ever. Starring Yash in the lead role, the film tells the story of a young man’s rise to power in the Kolar Gold Fields.
KGF: Chapter 2 (2021) – The second installment of the KGF franchise also grossed over 1,250 crores worldwide, making it one of the highest grossing Kannada movies ever and the highest grossing Indian movies and joining the 1000 crore club. Directed by Prashanth Neel and starring Yash in the lead role, the film continues the story of the first chapter.
Kantara (2022) – The movie soul is the conflict between tradition and modernity directed by Rishab Shetty grossing over 400 crores worldwide, making it one of the highest grossing Kannada movies ever. Starring Rakshit Shetty and Sapthami Gowda in the lead roles, the film tells the story of intense conflicts and human-nature struggles.
James (2022) – This action-drama film directed by Chethan Kumar grossed over 150 crores worldwide, making it one of the highest grossing Kannada movies ever. Starring Puneeth Rajkumar in the lead role, the film tells the story of a young man who works as an executive in a security company and finds himself up against the bad guys.
Raajakumara (2017) – This action-drama film directed by Santhosh Ananddram grossed over 100 crores worldwide, making it one of the highest grossing Kannada movies ever, the first movie to gross 75 crores in Kannada. Starring Puneeth Rajkumar in the lead role, the film tells the story of a successful businessman who returns to his village to help his people.
These highest grossing Kannada movies have not only broken box office records but also received positive reviews from critics and audiences. With more talented actors, directors, and technicians coming into the industry, Kannada cinema is expected to produce many more blockbuster movies in the future.
Highest grossing Kannada movies in Karnataka
By surpassing the previous record holder KGF 2, Kantara has made history as Highest grossing Kannada movie in Karnataka.
| RANK | Movie Name | Director | Karnataka Share | Karnataka Gross | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kantara | Rishab Shetty | 98 crore | 178 crore | + |
| 2 | K.G.F: Chapter 2 | Prashanth Neel | 90 crore | 161 crore | |
| 3 | K.G.F: Chapter 1 | Prashanth Neel | 80 crore | 132 crore | + |
| 4 | Baahubali 2 | S.S. Rajamouli | 56 crore | 130 crore | + |
| 5 | Vikrant Rona | Anup Bhandari | 54 crore | 90 crore | + |
| 6 | Kurukshetra | Naganna | 51 crore | 86 crore | + |
| 7 | RRR | S.S. Rajamouli | 43 crore | 84 crore | + |
| 8 | Baahubali | S.S. Rajamouli | 36 crore | 80 crore | + |
| 9 | James | Chethan Kumar | 45 crore | 76 crore | + |
| 10 | 777 Charlie | Kiranraj K | 42 crore | 74 crore | + |
highest grossing Kannada Movies First Weekend Collection
| Position | Movie | First Weekend Collection | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K.G.F: Chapter 2 | 719 crores | + |
| 2 | Vikrant Rona | 150 crores | + |
| 3 | James | 127 crores | + |
| 4 | K.G.F: Chapter 1 | 113 crores | + |
| 5 | Roberrt | 79 crores | + |
| 6 | The Villain | 60 crores | + |
| 7 | Kantara | 55 crores | + |
| 8 | Avane Srimannarayana | 50 crores | + |
| 9 | 777 Charlie | 47 crores | + |
| 10 | Pogaru | 45 crores | + |
Highest grossing Kannada movies “100 Crore Club”
The Indian film industry and media use the unofficial term “100 Crore Club” to refer to Indian language movies that have made at least 100 crores in India after subtracting the entertainment tax. By 2012, the 100 crore box office milestone had established itself as the new standard for a movie to be deemed a hit, and members of the 100 Crore Club were regarded as belonging to the “elite layer” of the Indian film industry.
- K.G.F: Chapter 1 is the first movie to gross 100 crores and joins the 100 core club
- The 1000 Crore Club replaced it in 2017.
- K.G.F: Chapter 2 is the first movie to gross 1000 crores and join the 1000 core club
- The two actors Yash and Darshan presently maintain the top positions.
Highest footfalls for highest grossing Kannada movies
- K.G.F: Chapter 2 got 50.5 million footfalls released in 2022
- Kantara got 10 million footfalls released in 2022
- K.G.F: Chapter got 1 7.5 million footfalls released in 2018
- Raajakumara got 6.5 million footfalls released in 2017