Kalyani Priyadarshan: Lokah’s success proves audiences are ready for women-led stories

Lokah, produced by Dulquer Salmaan, has made history as India’s first female superhero film to cross the ₹100 crore mark. Its success in both overseas markets and now in Hindi has been driven by Kalyani Priyadarshan’s role as Chandra, which reflects a broader shift in storytelling.Kalyani’s performance as Chandra drives the film’s narrative and connects with audiences. Her role reflects a gradual shift in Indian cinema toward women-led stories being given the scale and ambition usually reserved for male-centric blockbusters.Speaking about the film’s impact, Kalyani said, “I really hope it does. We’ve had many strong female characters in Indian cinema, but very rarely do we get to see them at the center of a large-scale action film. For me, Lokah isn’t just about one character or one film. It’s proof that audiences are ready and excited for women-led stories on this scale. If Chandra can open the door even a little wider for more films like this to be made, then that’s something I’d be really proud of.”Directed by Dominic Arun, Lokah features several cameos apart from the main roles played by Kalyani, Naslen, Chandu Salimkumar, Tovino Thomas, Nishanth, Vijayaraghavan, Sandy, and many others. Recently, Kalyani unveiled the Moothon character played by Mammootty.In her Instagram note, she wrote, “I remember the day he walked onto our set as a surprise. I think all of us instantly dropped anything in our hands the moment we saw him. I was jealous of the boys who managed to grab pictures with him, while I was stuck in costume and couldn’t. While we were all so tense, his aura was what it always is (light, funny, effortless). That’s just the kind of person he is — someone who inspires without trying, and reminds you what it means to be human. I just hope with this film, we’ve made him proud. Happy birthday to our Moothon.”