Following the significant commercial success of the Malayalam film Lokah: Chapter 1, producer Dulquer Salmaan has announced that the project is planned as a five-part film franchise. The first installment, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan in the lead role, crossed the 100-crore collection mark within 10 days of its release.
Speaking at a gathering in Chennai to celebrate the film’s performance, Dulquer revealed the ambitious future for the new superhero property. “We have planned five parts. In all my films, I haven’t seen this level of craze. We will make the subsequent parts of Lokah with respect and responsibility,” he stated. He also noted the unexpected scale of the film’s success, saying, “We started this on a small scale in Kerala and now we are getting praise from all quarters.”
The film’s journey from a modest concept to a blockbuster was also detailed by its creative team. Cinematographer Nimish Ravi shared, “Dominic [Arun, the director] told me this as a small idea for an independent film. It grew and grew, and now it has become massive.” Co-writer Santhy Balachandran confirmed that work on the next installment is already underway, stating, “We have now started writing the next part even better.”
Dulquer, whose Wayfarer Films banner produced the project, was unequivocal in his praise for the lead actress. “No one else would have suited the role of Chandra like Kalyani. The moment she heard the script, she began training. She has done more than we expected,” he remarked.
Kalyani, for her part, shared a personal anecdote about taking on the action-oriented role. “When I told my father I was going to do action, he asked, ‘You are going to do action? Look after your hands and legs properly’,” she recounted. She attributed the film’s success to the entire team, stating, “The 100-crore collection is not just because of me; it’s the hard work of the whole team. I cannot take the credit alone.”
Lokah: Chapter 1, directed by Dominic Arun, also stars Naslen, Chandu Salim Kumar, and Arun Kurian. The film is currently running in theatres.