One-Line Review: Inspired by folklore and legends, Lokah is something that takes us into a whole different universe!
Lokah YouTube Trailer
Cast: Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen, etc.
Release Date: August 28, 2025
Director: Dominic Arun
Kalyani Priyadarshan steals the show in this unprecedented fantasy thriller
~ The Hindu
Introduction
A mysterious girl lands in Bengaluru, into the lives of a group of young bachelors. Her mysterious self brings chaos and opens the door to a whole new world of myth and legends.
Our rating for Lokah is 10/10.
Summary
Chandra, a mysterious girl, lands in Bengaluru, as she was summoned by one ‘Moothon.’ She takes up a night shift in a cafe and tries to blend in with the people. A group of boys living in the apartment spots Chandra and Sunny; one of those boys falls for her.
Chandra keeps her hood tightly pulled over her head, revealing little about her job, and mostly travels between her workplace and her always-closed flat. Sunny tries to get connected to Chandra and invites her to a party. Meanwhile, Chandra saves one of her coworkers from an acid attack, and this invites trouble for her. Inspector Nachiyappa, who has ties to the local kidnappers and organ smugglers, learns about Chandra and finds her mysterious nature unsettling. The man who tried to attack Chandra’s coworker gangs up, sedates Chandra, and kidnaps her. Witnessing all these, Sunny follows the goons only to find the real identity of Chandra, who is a vampire. As Nachiyappa uncovers the true identity of Chandra, he starts to crave her power, leading to a battle of good and evil.
Review
Indian cinema is still not too well-versed in the superhero genre. It is into that landscape Lokah landed – a space that only had Krrish, Bhavesh Joshy, and Minnal Murali to boast about. And Lokah indeed had a super-hero landing in people’s hearts!
Performances:
More than just another superhero tale, Lokah introduced us to the first-ever lady superhero! Kalyani Priyadarshan aced it as Kalliyamkattu Neeli—the vampire hero in the movie. She looked absolutely stylish—thanks to her MUA team—and at the same time menacing.
Naslen should be appreciated for taking up the role of Sunny. In a testosterone-driven world, Sunny was a perfect sidekick for Chandra, also involved in a romantic angle. The show stealer of Lokah, though, is Sandy, who portrayed the role of misogynistic Nachiyappa. Sandy looked pure evil and was able to invoke that hatred in our minds while watching him turn into the supervillain he becomes.
The movie boasts a strong star cast, and most of them are surprises, so we will wrap it up here!
Technical Departments:
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra will be recognized as one of the most technically brilliant movies to be made in India. The movie definitely demands a great deal of VFX, sound and artwork to back the premise. Kudos to the entire team of Lokah for pulling the entire project off without affecting the quality, and that too on a very minimal budget! Probably a feat only Mollywood can try at this level. Let it be the visuals, music, setups, neon lighting and makeup—Lokah aced in all ways. Once you watch the movie, you will never forget this new world. That was how well everything was crafted and delivered for you.
Writing:
One of the interesting things about such ‘universes’ is that you have to plan everything from chapter 1 to chapter Z. Otherwise, things might fall apart like an unfortunate set of Jenga blocks. The core of Lokah chapter 1: Chandra was inspired by a character from Aitihyamala, and it was beautifully adapted to the current trends. The same was the main hook point from a writer’s perspective. Without much beating around the bush, the writers were able to successfully introduce us to a bigger yet complex world with a simple yet catchy presentation.
Conclusion
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra is a must-watch in theatres. If not, something not to be missed – especially for cinephiles!
