Kalyani Priyadarshan On Pre-Release Fears For Lokah Chapter 1: ‘Was Terrified’

The most recent hit in Malayalam film, Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra, has become a cultural sensation due to actress Kalyani Priyadarshan’s breakthrough performance as the ground-breaking female superhero Chandra. In an exclusive interview with the Hollywood Reporter India round table, Kalyani revealed the psychological and emotional process of portraying such a pivotal part.

The actress revealed that a great deal of anxiety and self-doubt accompanied the thrill of starring in India’s first significant female-led superhero movie. Kalyani admitted that she and the group stayed in their hotel rooms on the opening day, awaiting reviews, because they were “terrified” to see how the crowd would respond.

Despite the fear, the overwhelmingly favourable

reaction and box office success have transformed what began as a terrifying tale into one of victory and artistic satisfaction, marking a significant turning point in her career.

Release Day Fears and Behind-the-Scenes Anxiety

Kalyani Priyadarshan recently expressed how she was anxious about the public’s reaction towards the superhero movie. She admitted that she and a few crew members stayed inside on the day Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra debuted.

They were allegedly “terrified to step out,” in the hopes that viewers would enjoy the movie rather than worry about what might go wrong. She revealed that before the release, the whole team—including co-star Naslen—was really stressed.

“We were very nervous up until the day of release. On the day of the release, Naslen and I didn’t step out,” Kalyani said.

“We were in our rooms, hoping that people wouldn’t say anything bad about us,” she added.

Participating in the conversation, actor Vicky Kaushal intervened to commend Naslen’s performance, stating, “Even Naslen was so good.”

According to Kalyani, things changed when initial feedback began to come in. “Around 3:00, when we knew good reviews were coming in, we called each other and said, ‘I think we can step out now,’” she explained.

Groundbreaking Role and Its Wider Impact

Besides becoming one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films ever and surpassing significant box office benchmarks, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra also represented a key cultural turning point for female-led superhero stories in Indian cinema.

Kalyani reportedly underwent extensive physical training to embody the strength and presence of the female superhero in her depiction of Chandra. This was a break from her prior work and a step into a more action-oriented performance area.

Kalyani gave director Dominic Arun practically full credit for her confidence in accepting a role that might have easily turned into a cliched horror-superhero hybrid. She said that Dominic and cinematographer Nimish Ravi were a great team.

Her confidence in the position was further strengthened by peer support, including words of encouragement from prominent industry personalities such as Dulquer Salmaan.