New Delhi: Within the first week of Lokah: Chapter 1–Chandra’s release, the Malayalam film was on Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ watchlist, and Alia Bhatt gave it a glowing review. While Kalyani Priyadarshan is the face of the first installment of the five-part universe, a team of women created the film that has been making its way into every cinephile’s recommended list. The co-writer Santhy Balachandran, colourist Yahsika Routray and rapper Reble were part of the team that built the compelling, entertaining world of Lokah.
The film marks the debut of Indian cinema’s first female superhero, starring Priyadarshan as Chandra, a powerful yakshi or vampire, who belongs to a marginalised community. The film is directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan under Wayfarer Films. Arun shares the writing credits with Santhy Balachandran, an actor and Oxford post-grad.
“Dominic is keenly aware of Malayalam pop culture, while I am the social science geek. The figure of Neeli is very familiar to Malayalis; she is part of many folktales, and her legend has been canonised in the Aithihyamala. She is typically presented as a bloodthirsty, malevolent spirit, but she is recast in Lokah as a superhero,” said Balachandran.
While Aithihyamala, the collection of Kerala folktales compiled by Kottarathil Sankunni in the early 20th century, created the trope of seductress-turned-monster, Arun and Balachandran reimagine the way Neeli is powerful, without sexualising her. Chandra’s attire–an oversized jacket, shoes, and leggings is also made for functionality instead of pandering to the male gaze. A septum ring and red hair add to her mysterious aura when she is spotted by her neighbours. The camera accentuates both her seeming fragility and immense physical strength as she takes down the villain, Nachiyappa Gowda (Sandy).
“The fusion of contemporary and mythology opened up a new visual language for me to explore. It was both challenging and exciting, and I wanted the audience to feel truly transported into that world through my work,” said Yashika Routray, the colourist for the film. Routray, who has been behind Jailer (2023), The Family Man (2019) and Raat Akeli Hai (2020).
Lokah has shattered box-office records, becoming South India’s highest-grossing female-led film.
Building the revisionist yakshi
Balachandran shared a post on her Instagram where she shared how the success of India’s first female superhero film was led by a team of talented women behind the camera. “This is to celebrate the army of women who worked on Lokah — both before and behind the screen. Our film would not be what it is without the talent, commitment and energy you brought to the table each day,” she wrote.
“We changed the origin story of Neeli from that of a being seeking vengeance because of a doomed romance. I felt there was scope to add layers in the film by reimagining the yakshi as a feminist, anti-caste figure. Academic readings of the yakshi highlight how lone women are considered either prey or predator. An attractive woman out at night would typically be prey. But what happens when she protects vulnerable people?” said Balachandran.
Born as Alli, Neeli is the daughter of a devadasi whose beauty attracts the brahmin priest Nampi. His betrayal and murder of her became the origin of her transformation into the yakshi.
Within Malayalam cinema, the figure of yakshi has mostly been depicted as a femme fatale, in films like the Mohanlal-starrer Sree Krishna Parunthu (1984), Kalliyankattu Neeli and Kadamattathachan. In the horror film Bramayugam (2024), the figure of Yakshi appears right at the beginning of the film, where it seduces and kills one of the characters.
But with Lokah, yakshi is not just reimagined, but also given a hybrid back story, as Chandra later refers to the condition of being a vampire as being due to a virus.
“In Lokah, the cinematography, production design, and costumes created a rich visual world, and my role was to bring it all together by giving each scene its own tone and feel through colour. Since each character carries their own world, I aimed to subtly reflect that through the colour palette,” said Routray.
The film has a fusion of the comic book and mythology, with vibrant reds, deep blues, inky blacks, earthy tones, neons and greys. and starry skies for a magical superhero feel, with the protagonist.
Chandra’s costume has red and black, symbolising power, which contrasts with Sunny’s (Naslen) yellow jackets, representing warmth and light. It also sets up the difference in the worlds they inhabit, where Chandra steps out only at night, away from sunlight, while Sunny, metaphorically, brings in warmth and comfort to her life.
There were also debates between the two writers who had earlier collaborated for the 2021 music video Oblivion, over how Chandra would be portrayed. But she also credits him for providing the space to stick up for the character.
Goddesses, priests and men
As Chandra makes her way through decades on her own, she finds allies, first in a priest, followed by others, including Sunny (Naslen), her neighbour in contemporary times, and Chathan (Tovino Thomas), a mischievous goblin.
The villain, however, is shown as a man who idolises traditional gender roles for women and is deeply misogynistic. “Nachiyappa’s character is also presented in such a way that it shows that he is the product of a toxic upbringing. His misogynist father is his idol, and teaches Nachiyappa that fear is the root of respect, which then turns to devotion,” said Balachandran. Nachiyappa becomes a vampire too and challenges Chandra, and the showdown forms the film’s climax.
While it is Chandra who does the heavy lifting, she also seeks help and receives it. But the creator ensures that she has the spotlight.
“Dominic and I were on the same page that the male characters would not swoop in and save her, but rather help her in her fight. We wanted to ensure that Chandra retains her agency,” said Balachandran. That is why even the figure of the legendary occultist priest Kadamattathu Kathanar has been reimagined as the person who encourages Chandra to harness her powers for the greater good.
The movie flips the narrative where the two are seen as natural enemies.
In the backstory given to Neeli, Balachandran and Arun focus on casteist oppression. An unnamed upper-caste king kills Neeli’s parents because the young child dares to pray in a temple meant for the king. Neeli, who is bitten by vampires in front of the statue of a goddess, gets unexplained powers and kills the king, before eventually becoming a protector and saviour of the downtrodden.
“I was very particular that Chandra’s moral code should come from a woman rather than from a patriarchal religious figure (Kathanar). In our version, she grows up in an indigenous culture, a nurturing environment connected to nature and animals, and she becomes a force for good because it’s her mother who instructs her to use her powers to protect the vulnerable,” said Balachandran.
Balachandran and Arun have portrayed the status of indigenous goddesses, keeping in mind how goddesses from fertility cults would be shown as benign beings, with rounded figures and rotund.
“What makes it far better than other massive-budget fantasy spectacles is that its magnificence extends beyond visual brilliance to include impeccable writing, offering an experience like never before,” wrote Anandu Duresh in his review of the film.
Also read: DDLJ vs Dear Zindagi—how SRK’s words reflect two Indias, two generations
The Lokah anthem
The writing of the movie’s world extended into the lyrics of the title track, Thani Lokah Murrakari pays tribute to tribal cultures being the custodians of wisdom. The song roughly translates as ‘she who writes’.
“We wanted to have an anthem which is not about pedestalising women, but rather a call to break out of the boxes we are placed in, take up space and write our own rules,” said Balachandran.
The song features Jyoti Nooran, who belongs to Jalandhar, along with Meghalaya-born rapper Reble, bringing a diversity of musical style. The lyrics written by Muhsin Pararai describe Kalyani’s character Chandra as the centre of the cosmos and a mentor during times of danger. Chandra’s tale is also presented as an animation during the song, while Bejoy, Nooran, and Reble appear dressed in white against various backdrops. The final few seconds of the video show a glimpse of the final fight by Chandra.
The rap portion, which is written and rendered by Reble, with powerful words like ‘ᕼow do you want it to be?/You gotta fight for a reason baby’. It was the film’s composer Jakes Bejoy who reached out to the rapper for her first movie score.
“The lyrics were inspired by the story of the main character, with whom I felt a strong resonance. The creative process was deeply connected to her story and the aspects I could relate to, understanding where she comes from and finding that resonance, because I think she speaks for a lot of people, especially women,” said Daiaphi Lamar, known by her professional name Reble.
The 23-year-old rapper was also given insights into Chandra’s character and the movie’s themes, which helped her pen down the rap in a day. Bejoy shared his opinions, and the collaboration eventually worked out seamlessly. Rebel was also especially excited to work with Nooran, a musical persona she looks up to.
“Growing up in a minority background, my early struggles became the driving force behind my music. As one of the few prominent female rappers from the Northeast, I want to inspire other women to step into the Indian rap scene,” said Reble, whose song sets the stage for the story of Lokah to unfold.
Born in Nongbah, West Jaintia Hills, Reble began rapping at the age of 11. Her work often focuses on themes of identity, resistance, and rage.
“ This film was a perfect way to make my debut in the Malayalam industry, which I deeply respect for its artistry. Coming from a minority background, this project felt especially meaningful. I enjoyed the collaboration, and the representation of women in the movie is noteworthy and worth discussing,” said Reble.
The film, made on a modest budget of Rs 30 crore, way below other superhero, world-building franchise films like Brahmastra: Part One–Shiva (Rs 400 crore) and Kalki 2898 AD (Rs 600 crore), has already managed to earn Rs 200 crore worldwide within 13 days of its release.
“The success of the film is a big win for the technical side of filmmaking. It shows that when there’s a strong vision and teamwork, even with limited budgets, the craft behind the scenes can stand out and be celebrated,” said Routray.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)