Santhy Balachandran is no longer just celebrated as a versatile actor in Malayalam cinema — she has now cemented her place as a powerful screenwriter with Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. The film, which hit theatres on August 28, 2025, has broken new ground as Malayalam’s first female-led superhero saga and has already become one of the year’s biggest hits.

While Kalyani Priyadarshan dazzles on screen as the enigmatic ‘Chandra’, many believe it is Santhy who provided the film with its true creative spirit. Having co-written the script with director Dominic Arun, she shaped the story’s voice, tone, and even immersed herself in promotional campaigns, making her an indispensable creative force behind Lokah.

From Academia to Arts

Originally from Kottayam, Kerala, Santhy’s story is one of bold reinvention. After completing her studies at Hyderabad Central University, she pursued a postgraduate degree in anthropology at Oxford University in 2011. Though she had a promising academic career ahead, her heart was always tethered to the arts. Painting, theatre, and stage performance were her lifelong passions, and eventually, she traded academia for acting.

Returning to Kochi, she made her stage debut in Harold Pinter’s The Lover, directed by Sanal Aman, and later took part in A Very Normal Family, directed by Roshan Mathew. Her striking performance on stage caught the attention of filmmaker Dominic Arun, who cast her in his debut feature Tharangam (2017), produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films.

Santhy soon gained recognition for her layered performances in films like Jallikkattu (India’s official Oscar submission), Paapam Cheyyathavar Kalleriyatte, Ennennum, and cross-language projects such as the Hindi film Gulmohar and the Tamil series Sweet Kaaram Coffee.

The Making of Lokah

Her collaboration with Dominic Arun came full circle in 2024–25 when she joined him behind the camera as co-writer for Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. The film tells the story of Chandra, a powerful yakshi rooted in Kerala’s folklore, portrayed by Kalyani Priyadarshan. When Chandra arrives in Bengaluru, her mysterious presence unsettles her quirky neighbours, Sunny and Venu, leading to a tale of identity, myth, and supernatural conflict.

Produced by Dulquer Salmaan, the film stormed into theatres with a ₹25 crore opening weekend and has since been hailed as a bold reinvention of the superhero genre in regional cinema.

Praise for a Visionary Writer

Industry peers have been quick to acknowledge Santhy’s influence. Director Aashiq Abu and actress Rima Kallingal praised her for crafting a nuanced, female-led superhero narrative, while Kalyani Priyadarshan herself credited Santhy as the “biggest creative force” behind the film.

After the film’s success, Santhy took to social media to thank her parents for standing by her when she left behind an academic career. She wrote that they gave her both “wings and roots,” a sentiment that echoes through her creative journey.

From Oxford classrooms to Kochi stages, from acclaimed acting roles to penning one of Malayalam cinema’s most successful superhero films, Santhy Balachandran’s journey is one of courage, reinvention, and relentless artistry. With Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, she hasn’t just written a film — she has written her name into the future of Indian cinema.