KALYANI PRIYADARSHAN’S Lokah: Chapter 1 –
Chandra has taken the global box office by storm,
establishing itself as a landmark success not just
for Malayalam cinema but for female-led Indian
films across industries.
Directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dul
quer Salmaan, the film has captured the imagination
of audiences worldwide with its dark fantasy theme,
visual grandeur, and emotionally charged storytelling.
In its first 21 days, Lokah collected a remarkable
$15.2 million, surpassing Alia Bhatt’s Raazi ($14.8 mil
lion) to become the fourth highest-grossing female-
led Indian film in history. The film also created a new
benchmark by becoming the first South Indian fe
male-led movie to cross the $12 million milestone,
signalling a shift in audience tastes toward content-
rich cinema beyond linguistic and regional bounda
ries. Currently, Lokah holds the position of the sec
ond-highest-grossing Malayalam film ever—a record
that wouldn’t stand for long.
As its theatrical run continued, LOKAH achieved
the extraordinary feat of crossing $37 million (ap
proximately ₹300 crore) worldwide—an achievement
unprecedented for a Malayalam production and a fe
male-driven story from south India. The domestic
box office contributed about $19 million, while over
seas markets, especially the UAE, the US, and the UK,
brought in $14.6 million.
This powerful dual-market performance has pushed
Lokah beyond L2: Empuraan, making it the highest-
grossing Malayalam film of all time and placing it
among India’s top earners of 2025.
The film’s extraordinary success story is made even
more impressive considering its modest budget. Made
for around $3.6 million (₹30 crore), Lokah has gener
ated a staggering return on investment exceeding 400
per cent.
This achievement makes it one of the most profit
able Indian films of the year, proving that innovative
storytelling and strong performances can outshine
even big-budget, star-heavy productions. Analysts
now project that the film could soon surpass $39 mil
lion (₹325 crore), reflecting its sustained audience en
gagement and strong word-of-mouth publicity.
At the heart of Lokah’s appeal lies its ambitious vi
sion. The film is part of a five-movie cinematic uni
verse conceptualized by Dulquer Salmaan, designed
to interlink various mythologies, fantasy realms, and
heroic arcs in a distinctly Indian context.
In Chapter 1 – Chandra, Kalyani Priyadarshan leads
the narrative as a powerful yet vulnerable protagonist
navigating a mystical world torn between divine forc
es and human frailty. Her performance has been
widely praised for balancing emotional depth with a
commanding screen presence, reaffirming her posi
tion as one of the most versatile actors in South In
dian cinema today.
The upcoming sequel, Lokah: Chapter 2, will report
edly feature Tovino Thomas in the lead role, expand
ing on the universe hinted at in the first film. Dulquer
Salmaan will headline the third instalment, while
Malayalam cinema legend Mammootty is expected to
take center stage in the fourth.
The fifth and final film will bring together all
the major characters in what promises to be one of
India’s most ambitious cinematic crossovers—a bold
experiment reminiscent of Hollywood’s intercon
nected film franchises but deeply rooted in Indian
mythology and storytelling.
Beyond its box office triumph, Lokah’s success sym
bolizes the growing influence of regional cinema in
the global entertainment landscape. Once confined to
linguistic and geographical boundaries, Malayalam
cinema has now emerged as a force that blends artis
tic integrity with commercial viability. Films like Lok
ah demonstrate how regional industries can redefine
mainstream Indian cinema by combining rich cultural
narratives with global production standards. Moreo
ver, Lokah has opened a new chapter for women-led
stories in Indian cinema. Kalyani Priyadarshan’s com
manding performance and the film’s resounding suc
cess challenge the long-standing notion that large-
scale blockbusters depend on male-driven narratives.
It’s a landmark achievement that echoes the evolving
preferences of modern audiences—ones that cele
brate character-driven storytelling, inclusivity, and
artistic innovation.
Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt, who once held the female-
led box office record with Raazi, continues to be a
powerhouse in Bollywood with her upcoming big-
budget ventures, including Aditya Chopra’s Alpha and
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War. Yet, the triumph of
Lokah signals a changing cinematic landscape—one
where regional voices, fresh narratives, and diverse
representation are redefining the parameters of suc
cess. In essence, Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra is not just
a film—it’s a cultural milestone. It marks the rise of
Malayalam cinema as a global storytelling force and
celebrates the power of a woman-led narrative break
ing barriers across industries. As Lokah continues to
soar, it carries with it a new vision for Indian cinema—
one that’s fearless, inclusive, and universally resonant.
Entertainment
www.indiaweekly.biz • October 2025
18
Box-office glory for
Malayalam film Lokah
THE much-awaited trailer of Thamma
has unveiled a thrilling new chapter in
Maddock Films’ celebrated horror-
comedy universe, starring Ayushmann
Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, and
Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
The film promises a unique mix of
romance, fear, and humor, introducing
a vampire saga that expands the world
established by Stree, Bhediya, Mun
jya, and Stree 2. Set for a grand Diwali
release on October 21, Thamma looks
poised to be one of the season’s big
gest entertainers.
Directed by Amar Kaushik and pro
duced by Dinesh Vijan, Thamma
marks Ayushmann Khurrana’s first
venture into the horror genre. Known
for his versatility and socially rooted
roles, Ayushmann steps into a new ter
ritory where love and terror collide.
The trailer teases his character’s
emotional journey as he falls for Rash
mika Mandanna’s mysterious role
while confronting the chilling menace
of Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Yakshasan
— a ruthless vampire with ancient
roots and dark charm.
The film’s launch event, aptly titled
“Thammakedaar,” took place in Mum
bai and drew huge attention from fans
and media.
Shraddha Kapoor, the leading face
of Stree, made a surprise appearance
to show her support, symbolically
linking Thamma to the larger super
natural world of Maddock’s horror-
comedy universe. The event featured
interactive performances, eerie set de
signs, and glowing crimson visuals
that hinted at the movie’s gothic yet
playful tone.
The trailer offers a glimpse of a
small Indian town caught between ro
mance and bloodlust, with Ayush
mann and Rashmika’s chemistry serv
ing as the emotional anchor. Nawa
zuddin’s portrayal of Yakshasan, with
his signature intensity and sly humor,
adds gravitas to the narrative.
His haunting presence contrasts
beautifully with the film’s come
dic beats, creating a blend that is
both spine-chilling and entertaining
— a hallmark of Maddock’s genre-de
fying storytelling.
For Rashmika Mandanna, Thamma
continues her streak of diverse
roles, adding a supernatural edge to
her filmography. Her character ap
pears to hold a secret that ties her
fate to both Ayushmann’s hero
and Nawazuddin’s vampire, promis
ing emotional depth alongside
the scares.
With Thamma, Maddock Films
further strengthens its horror-comedy
franchise, pushing boundaries by
blending Indian folklore, dark fanta
sy, and modern relationships.
As the trailer trends across social
media, fans are already calling it
one of the most exciting crossovers
in contemporary Bollywood —
where love meets fangs, and fear
finds a heartbeat.
Thamma blends love, laughs and bloodlust on screen
KALYANI PRIYADARSHAN STARRER EARNS $37 MILLION GLOBALLY
AT NEW YORK Fashion Week
2025, New Jersey-based Indi
an-American siblings Shivangi
Gupta Singh and Shashank
Gupta unveiled their Spring-
Summer 2026 collection Sam
skriti under their label Nazra
naa, celebrating India’s spirit
ual and cultural legacy.
The 18-piece collection of
sherwanis and lehengas drew
inspiration from ancient San
skrit texts, temple architecture,
and sacred traditions, mark
ing their fourth consecutive
NYFW showcase.
Unlike their earlier fusion-
driven presentations, Samskriti
represented a heartfelt return
to roots. Shashank Gupta said
the collection stemmed from
their personal spiritual jour
neys that began in 2019, aim
ing to reconnect with the
depth of India’s heritage be
yond textbooks and family
teachings. The designs paid
tribute to revered cultural
symbols like the Mahakumbh,
Konark Sun Temple, Mount
Kailash, Tirupati Balaji, and
Varanasi’s Ganga Aarti.
A standout creation was the
showstopper lehenga featur
ing 24 hand-painted panels
inspired by Maharishi Valmi
ki’s integration of the Gayatri
Mantra into the Ramayana.
Another masterpiece captured
the grand Mahakumbh
through intricate digital prints
and embellishments. The
sherwanis reflected temple
carvings from the Meenakshi
Sundareshwara Temple,
merging craftsmanship with
modern tailoring.
The siblings’ ancestral con
nection to Varanasi was wo
ven into several pieces, with
motifs of Maa Ganga and
cityscapes symbolizing conti
nuity between tradition and
modernity. Through Samskriti,
the designers also hoped to
inspire Indian-American youth
to embrace their heritage. “We
want young people to cele
brate Diwali, attend Garba,
and feel proud of their roots,”
Shashank shared.
Founded in 2012, Nazranaa
has become a leading South
Asian bridal brand in the U.S.,
known for fusing Indian artist
ry with global aesthetics. With
Samskriti, Shivangi and
Shashank have brought In
dia’s spiritual essence to NY
FW’s global stage, redefining
what modern couture can
mean when fashion becomes
a language of cultural pride
and devotion.
India inspires
NY runway
© Instagram/@dqswayfarerfilms
HAUNTED HEARTS:
Ayushmann Khurrana
and Rashmika Mandanna
in a song from their
upcoming film Thamma
© Instagram/@rashmika_mandanna