Lokah Chapter 1 emerged as the real surprise package this weekend, earning praise from critics and fans while performing strongly at the box office. Although Bollywood’s Param Sundari grabbed most of the spotlight, two Malayalam films — Lokah Chapter 1 and Hridayapoorvam — quietly made their presence felt. Lokah Chapter 1 is a refreshing movie with a superhero concept, while Hridayapoorvam, led by superstar Mohanlal, gained attention mainly for its star-studded cast.

Lokah Chapter 1’s box office performance

Directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan, Lokah Chapter 1 is designed as the first film in Dulquer’s ambitious Wayfarer Cinematic Universe. The film mixes fantasy, mythology, and science fiction, a blend that has impressed audiences.

Lokah opened with ₹2.7 crore on Thursday. The collections rose by 40% on Friday, reaching ₹3.75 crore. On the same day, Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s War 2 earned just ₹65 lakh, while Rajinikanth’s Coolie brought in ₹1.75 crore. Lokah comfortably outperformed both films combined.

Even Mohanlal’s Hridayapoorvam could not keep pace, with a Friday collection of ₹2.70 crore. The only film to surpass Lokah that day was Param Sundari, which earned more than ₹7 crore due to its wider release.

Widespread praise for Lokah Chapter 1

The superhero drama has been described as one of the finest Indian films of the year in its genre. Fans on social media have been comparing it to global blockbusters. One Reddit user wrote, “It’s Avengers meets girls with a dragon tattoo meets Bangalore energy.” Another comment read, “It’s litt af!!! Kalyani absolutely killed it in the action scenes. And the comedy is great too. Amazing how they demolished Bollywood and their horror universe.”

Many also highlighted the way the film used folklore in a modern context, calling it a refreshing move. A fan on X commented, “This is what big films like Kalki 2898 AD and Brahmastra should have done. Lokah was way better.”

About the film and its cast

Lokah Chapter 1 stars Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen, and Sandy, supported by a strong cast including Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Raghunath Paleri, Vijayaraghavan, Nithya Shri, and Sarath Sabha.

The film hit theatres on 28 August and has already earned ₹6.20 crore in India. With strong word-of-mouth boosting its reach, trade experts expect the film’s weekend earnings to touch or even cross ₹15 crore.