Kotha Lokah: Chapter 1 - Chandra

Kalyani Priyadarshan plays the lead in the Malayalam superhero movie Kotha Lokah – Chapter 1: Chandra. The movie, which combines aspects of contemporary superheroes with mythology, has also been released in Telugu and other languages. Check out our review to see how it performs on screen.

Table of Contents

Kotha Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra

Starring : Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Raghunath Paleri, Vijayaraghavan, Nithya Shri, and others
Director : Dominic Arun
Producer : Dulquer Salmaan
Music Director : Jakes Bejoy
Cinematographer : Nimish Ravi
Editor : Chaman Chakko

Story

Neeli (Kalyani Priyadarshan), another name for Chandra, is an immortal with both advantages and disadvantages. She almost escapes her assailants on a mission. The enigmatic character who calls her, Moothon (voice of Mammootty), counsels her to keep a low profile. In order to live a calm life, she moves to Bengaluru. She captivates her neighbor Sunny (Naslen), with whom she becomes friends. However, he is both startled and terrified when he learns her actual identity and background. Inspector Nachiyappa Gowda (Sandy Master), meanwhile, begins to doubt Chandra. Why did he distrust her? Chandra is who? Why does Sunny feel so terrified? What secrets from her past pose a threat to her now? On the large screen, the solutions are revealed.

Trailer

Overview

Directed by	Dominic Arun
Screenplay by	Dominic Arun Santhy Balachandran
Story by	Dominic Arun
Produced by	Dulquer Salmaan
Starring	Kalyani Priyadarshan Naslen Sandy
Cinematography	Nimish Ravi
Edited by	Chaman Chakko
Music by	Jakes Bejoy
Production company	Wayfarer Films
Distributed by	Wayfarer Films
Release date	28 August 2025
Running time	149 minutes
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

Review

The superhero genre is seldom explored in Indian film, particularly when it comes to female leads. With Lokah, Malayalam film takes up the task. Kalyani Priyadarshan plays the title part with poise; she masterfully strikes a balance between emotion and action, and her eyes speak for her when words cannot.

Lokah places more emphasis on world-building than traditional superhero movies, which feature a hero vs a villain who ends the world. Instead of jumping right into a predictable battle, it establishes the framework for a cinematic universe.

The emotional center is not fully formed. Chandra and Sunny’s relationship is strong at first, but it weakens in the second half, wasting a chance for a more profound effect.

A strong antagonist is essential to a superhero movie. Even though he is there, Nachiyappa Gowda never seems brutal enough to up the ante.

In the second half, the pace falters. The screenplay drags down after a thrilling setup since it mostly relies on universe-building, which detracts from the story’s interest.

The plot is fragmented and often unclear since Chandra is surrounded by too many supporting people who don’t have enough depth.

Conclusion

Overall, the ambitious endeavor to create a new cinematic universe in Kotha Lokah – Chapter 1: Chandra is mainly successful. With its flawless technical execution and strong performance by Kalyani Priyadarshan, it establishes itself as a female-led superhero movie with roots in Keralan mythology. However, pacing problems, a poorly developed adversary, and a less interesting second half keep it from reaching new heights. Nevertheless, Dulquer Salmaan, Dominic Arun, and the group should be commended for coming up with such a daring and creative beginning. Despite its flaws, Lokah represents a major advancement in Indian superhero narrative, and viewers should see it on a large screen to see the start of this fascinating new world.