Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films has been lauded by film critics and the audience alike for producing an inventive female superhero movie in the form of Lokah: Chapter One – Chandra. It has been released in Telugu as Kotha Lokah. Kalyani Priyadarshan's stoic face and nuanced performance are one of the key highlights of the movie. The Telugu version is off to a quick start at the box office. Sithara Entertainments has brought it to the Telugu States.
"This is the seventh film produced under the Wayfarer banner. Crafted to meet global standards, this Malayalam film is garnering critical acclaim all over," an industry observer notes. DQ, known for Sita Ramam, Mahanati, and Lucky Baskhar in Telugu, has a cameo in the movie. Cameos by Tovino Thomas and Soubin Shahir are whistle-worthy.
By setting out to create a new Superhero Cinematic Universe, DQ has shown immense resolve. "His contribution to Malayalam cinema will forever be read alongside the history being written through Lokah," a fanboy says.
The film has been lauded for its technical brilliance—including Nimish Ravi's cinematography and Jakes Bejoy's background score. The narrative maintains its originality. Inspired by the Kerala folklore, the film avoids cliches.
The mythology-inspired plot, directed by Dominic Arun, has been commended for its ambitious world-building, which blends Kerala folklore with modern, cyberpunk-style aesthetics. Many reviewers highlighted the film as a brave attempt to create a cinematic universe, with some comparing it favorably to larger-budget Indian superhero movies. The backstory of Kalyani's Chandra aka Neela is inspired.
The future installments in the Lokah series will be hugely awaited. This year, an animated cinematic universe has already been kicked off with Mahavatar Narsimha. And it is time for the Indian audience to celebrate Lokah: Chapter One – Chandra.
