Among this year’s Onam releases, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra stands out as the most ambitious — and rightly so, being Malayalam cinema’s first female superhero film. But director Dominic Arun, co-writing with Santhy Balachandran, ensures the film’s weight doesn’t rest on that milestone alone. Instead, they craft a world that blends folklore, myth, and modern struggles, anchored by the conviction that “all legends have an element of truth.”
The film’s choices — from symbolic names like Sunny and Chandra to the grounding of folklore in everyday contexts — lend authenticity. The cast excels across the board: Sandy makes a chilling impression as ruthless cop Nachiyappa, while Vijayaraghavan’s narration of Chandra’s origin, paired with evocative visuals, creates one of the film’s most powerful sequences.
At the centre is Kalyani Priyadarshan, bringing both strength and humanity to Chandra, a role far removed from her earlier outings. Naslen, meanwhile, delivers effortless spontaneity, elevating even the simplest lines. Cameos — often distractions in other films — are integrated thoughtfully here, though a few feel stretched. Still, their narrative arcs seem poised for bigger payoffs in upcoming installments.
If the “good people” in Lokah are written with nuance and dignity, the grey characters suffer from being one-dimensional. The film also takes a while to settle, with some comedy in the first half falling flat, and the dialogues occasionally lacking a natural flow.
Yet, these are minor stumbles in a film with so many strengths: Nimish Ravi’s striking cinematography, Jakes Bejoy’s soaring background score, and above all, the sincerity of its world-building.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra may not deliver instant gratification, but it lays the foundation for a Malayalam superhero universe with care, ambition, and heart.
Verdict: A promising, sincere first step into uncharted cinematic territory.
