Lokah Chapter 1 : Chandra is a film directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan under Wayfarer Studios starring Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen in the main roles.
India’s First Female Superhero
Almost two weeks into its release, the movie has amassed Rs. 200 crore in the box office. While the movie doesn’t fit into the typical superhero trope of cape-wearing heroes and divine avatars from Indian myths, it fits perfectly for a character with roots in Kerala. What’s truly impressive is that India’s first female superhero film was one that started out with a modest film budget of 30 crores.
Retelling a Popular Folktale Myth
The best pieces of cinema are usually the ones that take away from existing stories and add a modern twist to the same. Lokah does the same with Kerala’s famous folktale about (spoiler alert) Kalliyankattu Neeli, but reimagines the story with a feminist angle and a different origin story, making the character a saviour instead of a vengeful spirit, like she was in the original tale.
The Fusion of Traditional and Modern Storytelling
A key element of Lokah and why its being praised by audiences is due to its fusion of traditional and modern elements. The original myth regarding Kalliyankattu Neeli features a woman draped in a white saree. Yet in the film, she is seen wearing dark jackets, boots, red streaks in her hair mainly featuring the colours black and red, the latter which represents power, rage and divine energy in the folktale. The movie even has scenes referencing popular western series like Twilight.
