‘Lokah – Chapter One: Chandra’ hits ₹101 cr in 7 days, sets record as South India’s top female-led blockbuster

Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films has struck gold with its seventh production, ‘Lokah – Chapter One: Chandra’, which has made history at the box office. In just seven days, the film has grossed ₹101 crore globally, becoming the highest-grossing female-led film in South Indian cinema. With record-breaking momentum both within and beyond Kerala, ‘Lokah’ is rewriting the rules of regional superhero storytelling.

Directed and written by Dominic Arun, this big-budget fantasy-action film stars Kalyani Priyadarshan in the titular role of Chandra, alongside Naslen and Sandy. The film draws inspiration from the legendary tale of Kalliyankattu Neeli and introduces audiences to a dazzling new superhero cinematic universe.

The Telugu and Tamil versions are trending strongly, and the Hindi release is set for September 4. In Kerala alone, the film is running over 1,400 shows daily, many of them sold out, reflecting unprecedented audience support.

The cast also includes Chandu Salimkumar, Arun Kurian, Sharath Sabha, Nishanth Sagar and Vijayaraghavan, with several cameo appearances that have become fan favourites.

Distributed by major players across India—AGS Cinemas in Tamil Nadu, Lighter Buddha Films in Karnataka, Pen Marudhar in North India and Sitara Entertainments in Telugu markets—the film is enjoying pan-India success.

Behind the scenes, the film boasts top-tier talent: cinematography by Nimish Ravi, music by Jakes Bejoy, editing by Shaman Chacko and production design by Banglan. The team also includes executive producers Jom Varghese and Bibin Perumbally, additional screenplay by Shanthi Balachandran, art direction by Jithu Sebastian, makeup by Ronex Xavier, costume design by Melvy J and Archana Rao, stills by Rohith K Suresh and Amal K Sadar, action choreography by Yannick Ben and production control by Rini Divakar and Vinosh Kaimal. Chief associate director is Sujith Suresh.