Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra

Lokah is truly a quality product from Malayalam cinema that boldly steps into the superhero genre-a territory rarely explored in the industry. From the making and cinematography to sound design and production value, every technical department shines with international-level finesse.

What sets Lokah apart is how intelligently it weaves superhero elements with our myths, traditions, and the modern world. The tagline "they live among us" perfectly sets the tone for a franchise that has vast potential to explore mythological legends in future chapters.

Kalyani Priyadarshan deserves special mention for taking on a powerful role and executing it with confidence and finesse. The trio of Neslen, Chandu, and Arun bring in much-needed comic relief to balance the otherwise serious tone of the film. Sandy, in a surprising turn, delivers a strong performance as the antagonist, leaving a lasting impact. The rest of the cast also contributes effectively, and the cameos are well-placed, creating anticipation for what's next.

Director Dominic Arun and his team have taken on a challenging vision and brought it to life with remarkable conviction. Hats off to Nimish Ravi, Jakes Bejoy, Baglan, Chaman Chacko, and the entire technical crew for their exceptional work.

However, the franchise structure and chapter-based storytelling do result in some incomplete character arcs and unresolved motives. Hopefully, these will be addressed in the upcoming installments.

All in all, Lokah is a commendable theatrical experience that sets a solid foundation for a promising superhero franchise.

Absolute game changer of Mollywood and Indian cinema . The story, character and build up is so interesting and it totally worth watching. Turning of myth which we heard during the childhood turning into reality was not an expecting one, especially the way the plot was created. Loved it and will watch again.

Rating - 3.75/5

A fantasy action adventure thriller showing the battle within the darker sides of the world and their thirst for power.

The story takes us through the lives of 3 urban junkies stalking a mysterious girl who moved nextdoor and the strange events that unfolds in their life when they closely follow her forms the base of the story.

Dominic Arun & Santhy Balachandran has created a new adventurous doorway to Malayalam Cinema through this movie. Hats off to Dominic Arun who showed the patience and grit to wait so long for bringing a phenomenal cinema to Malayalam. Good screenplay laying backdrop for the story to settle in the first half but slips midway and gains momentum towards the latter half with insane action sequences. Some cameo appearances passed through the screen showing no clue of their presence which might hopefully fill the dots in the upcoming sagas.

Mind-blowing performance by Kalyani Priyadarshan,the way she has carried Chandra is dashing, the way she holds her eyes, the attitude, absolutely brilliant performance. Kudos to the Costumers Melwy, Archana and the Makeup team for bringing the ferocious Chandra onto the Big screen. Impressive performances from Naslen, Arun Kurian & special shoutout to Chandu Salim kumar who just lived the character brilliantly with the timely dialogues and facial gestures reminding of his father's epic performances. Startling performance by Sandy with his impressive dialogue delivery modulation & attitude. Good performance from Vijayaraghavan, Sarath Sabha, Sam Mohan & Nishant Sagar.

Outstanding frames by Nimish Ravi creating a visual fantasy world by using the precise lens and lighting effortlessly finetuned by the young editor Chaman Chakko. Incredible background scores by Jakes that stands throughout the movie supported with good sound design by Dawn Vincent/Rajakrishnan. Good settings by Vinesh Banglan & Jithu Sebastian that sustained the mood of the urbanscape and the dark world. Hats off to Yannick Ben & team for the exceptional action sequences. Big hugs to DQ & Wayfarer Films for backing this vision and pulling it off in a technically superior quality.

A must watch experience in cinema hall to witness a new world just reminding us that it's just a peak above the ocean.

Back in 2017, Dominic Arun exhibited promise as a filmmaker with Tharangam, an unconventional fantasy black comedy that didn't make a lot of money but captured the attention of the ardent filmgoer. Lokah: Chapter One - Chandra is the director's second outing, and this time, he strikes GOLD! The immediate post-watch feeling was a craving to watch the next chapters unfold rather quickly. We're subjected to a universe that's brimming with unimaginable possibilities, fascinating characters, and immersive lore. Chapter One works solidly as both an origin story and an in-between adventure characterized by a neon-filled aesthetic (even if it's set in Bangalore), comprising characters that we can connect to.

Kalyani Priyadarshan is a great choice for the titular character, and while she isn't required to emote a whole lot, her stature and prowess in the action set pieces really help. Naslen, however, with his candid expressions and taking on the audience's perspective, is PERFECT. He embodies the curious guy-next-door to the T, making Sunny's camaraderie with Chandra extremely fun to watch. Chandu Salimkumar and Arun Kurian are good too, especially the former, with some of his dad's signature expressions. Sandy is excellent as the main baddie, with a menacing stare and a stance that makes him easy to despise. There are some really cool cameos in store, in case you haven't exposed yourself to all the names in the cast already. The cameos have their natural space within the universe, possibly taking on full-fledged roles in the upcoming instalments.

Special shoutout to Durga C. Vinod as young Chandra; she was riveting in that pre-interval scene. Now, the finished product wouldn't be as good if not for some of these top-tier names within the crew: DoP Nimish Ravi, who makes this world look so vibrant and engaging; Editor Chaman Chakko with some amazingly cool transitions; Composer Jakes Bejoy who once again delivers a banger of a soundtrack; and Stunt Director Yannick Ben for making Chandra look absolutely badass in the action blocks. Loved the costume designs by Melwy J and Archana Akhil, alongside Banglan's production design.

My only major screenplay gripe concerns a party scene in the first half, where a cop lets a group of youngsters go scot-free after catching them with weed at an apartment. Okay, letting that slide since the same scene also features a dashing Kalyani (in a white dress) walking into the apartment with Ilayaraja's 'Kiliye Kiliye' remix playing in the background. Also, even when we call this Chapter One, there are way too many seeds planted already, making the film a thread-opener without offering any sort of closure. At least now, can people shut up about female actors NOT being able to pull off solid action in Malayalam? That too, in an era where lavish budgets are spent on creating "pan-Indian" action spectacles that often end up as debacles.

Extraordinary movie making Unique storyline Excellent Direction Excellent 📷 work Good acting from all especially Neslen and Kalyani.

Overall Lokah stands out as an unprecedented cinematic journey from Malayalam cinema industry, leaving a lasting impact that will be remembered for years to come.

Must watch movie in theatre.