Kalyani Priyadarshan creates history as first Malayalam actress with Rs2b hit

Actor Kalyani Priyadarshan has been selective with her film choices since her 2017 debut in the Telugu film Hello. That cautious approach has now paid off in a big way. With Dominic Arun’s Lokah Chapter 1 – Chandra, Kalyani didn’t just step into the spotlight as India’s first female superhero on screen — she also became the first Malayalam actress to cross Rs200 crore (Rs2 billion) at the box office, a milestone that cements her place among the industry’s elite.

The film has emerged as a record-breaking success, grossing Rs202 crore (Rs2.02 billion) worldwide in just 13 days. Malayalam cinema has recently seen several blockbusters crossing the Rs200 crore mark, including Mohanlal’s L2 Empuraan (Rs265.5 crore), Thudarum (Rs234.5 crore) earlier this year, and Manjummel Boys (Rs240.5 crore) in 2024. For a female-led film to achieve such numbers is an extraordinary landmark moment.

Producer Dulquer Salmaan, who backed the project under his Warfarer Films banner, credited actor-writer Santhy Balachandran for crafting a strong and relatable superhero. “If there’s a lady superhero or superstar today and we represented her correctly, all credit goes to Santhy,” Dulquer said.

His production house confirmed the milestone of Rs202 crore on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, marking a historic achievement for Malayalam cinema and for Kalyani’s career.