Mollywood
Lokah Chapter 1 - Chandra Box Office Preview: Kalyani Priyadarshan's Superhero Saga Aims To Achieve What Minnal Murali Missed
Kochi, August 28 - The Malayalam cinema is ready to strike again, and this time, in the most unfamiliar territory, superhero, with Kalyani Priyadarshan-fronted Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. Indian superhero space has always been a tricky one, unlike Hollywood, which churns out global blockbusters. Here, we have only seen a handful of attempts in the genre, and when it comes to Malayalam, the examples are minimal. Before Lokah, the Mollywood industry had a chance to shine at the box office with Tovino Thomas' Minnal Murali (2021) in the superhero genre, but the makers' reluctance and lack of patience amid the growing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic didn't let that chance become a reality. Director Basil Joseph's film stood tall as a genuine masterpiece — a film that blended local flavour with superhero spectacle. Yet, despite the critical acclaim and the public approval, Minnal Murali never had the chance to prove itself at the box office, owing to its direct-to-digital release on Netflix during the pandemic. Well, the Mollywood, widely regarded as the content factory, has another opportunity to strike gold at the box office with a superhero, and this is where Lokah Chapter 1 – Chandra steps in. Headlined by Kalyani Priyadarshan, the film is already drawing attention as one of the most ambitious superhero outings in Mollywood. The initial word of mouth of the film is highly positive, with early audiences praising its ambitious universe that blends entertainment with heroism beautifully. It is the first instalment in the planned Wayfarer Cinematic Universe, from filmmaker Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films. Lokah managed to score decent advances of around 1 crore for the opening day, and seeing the early reception, the superhero film is in for a blockbuster ride at the box office. The movie is already seeing a surge in advance sales for the evening and night shows, putting itslef on course to take a very good opening domestically. For Kalyani Priyadarshan, Lokah could be a career-defining moment. While she has impressed in various roles across Malayalam and Tamil cinema, stepping into the shoes of a superhero puts her in a rare league, especially as one of the few female leads spearheading a superhero saga in Indian cinema. Stay tuned...
