This post was originally published on here
Kalyani Priyadarshan’s career reached new heights with the blockbuster success of ‘Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra,’ a film that not only shattered records but also cemented her place as one of the most impactful performers of the year. While audiences celebrated her fierce and understated portrayal of Chandra, the actress now reveals that she was battling intense self-doubt during the early days of the shoot. In a recent interview, she shared the surprising fears she carried even as the film shaped up to become the highest-grossing Malayalam movie of all time.
Kalyani Priyadarshan feared she “might be the worst thing about the film”
Speaking to The Nod, Kalyani recalled a moment of deep anxiety just one week into filming. She revealed that she called producer Dulquer Salmaan, worried that she simply did not fit the character.“I told him that I might end up being the worst thing about the film. I was sure that I didn’t have what it takes, that I was taking too long to grasp the character,” she said. Chandra’s emotionless, reserved nature posed a challenge for Kalyani, who is, by her own admission, naturally expressive. Her director insisted that Chandra could not frown, smile or react the way humans would, which only heightened her fear of coming across as stiff.Kalyani Priyadarshan feared audiences would misread Chandra’s stoic natureKalyani admitted that one of her biggest worries was that viewers would misinterpret Chandra’s robotic calm as a weak performance. “As Indians, we are used to seeing stone-cold men on screen. We rarely come across that in women. I was afraid that people might not understand Chandra,” she explained.Ultimately, the film taught her to stop guessing what audiences will or will not respond to. Her restrained performance was widely praised for its precision and emotional subtlety, proving her fears unfounded. The film’s success and her acclaim revealed a growing audience appetite for unconventional female portrayals.
About ‘Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra’
‘Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra’ marked a historic moment for Malayalam cinema as it introduced its first female superhero. The story follows Sunny, a young man who becomes intrigued by his mysterious neighbour Chandra, only to discover that she is not human and that ancient myths rooted in Kerala’s folklore still walk among us. The film traces Chandra’s awakening to her supernatural abilities, while Sunny unintentionally becomes entwined in her world of shadowy forces and dangerous revelations.Directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan, the film launched the ambitious Wayfarer Cinematic Universe (WCU). The cast also includes Naslen, Sandy, Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Raghunath Paleri, Vijayaraghavan, Nithya Shri and Sarath Sabha. It was released in theatres on August 28, 2025, followed by its OTT debut on JioHotstar on October 31, 2025.
