Mumbai: Dominic Arun has already come out to talk of the massive success of his blockbuster Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and confirm that Lokah Chapter 2 is already underway. During a directors’ roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter India, the filmmaker shared honest insights into his creative journey and how the first chapter’s success grew beyond anything he expected.
Talking about the impact of Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, Dominic Arun said that success was never part of the plan when he first started working on the script. “I was just trying to make a film that I enjoy watching,” he explained. Arun was interested in incorporating things that he enjoys in superhero movies but in a manner that would be personal and meaningful. He added that initially his motivation was, in his own words, “mostly a selfish thing”—just to create something that spoke to him.
When he started to share the script with friends, Dominic was moved to believe that people were relating to the story. Everybody is liking it; everybody is getting what I am trying to say, he remembered. That favorable response made him confident enough to develop the idea further, and, finally, discuss it with actor and producer Dulquer Salmaan, who showed enthusiasm and approval.
Reflecting on the film’s journey from concept to box office phenomenon, Dominic Arun acknowledged that once the film was released it “went out of our hands.” He acknowledged that there is no formula on how to create a blockbuster and how the demand to come up with something bigger with the succession of the first one is a reality. But he claimed he is returning to basics, and that he is writing new scenes and letting the story develop organically as he plans the sequel.
This confirmation gives fans even more reason to be excited about the future of the Lokah cinematic universe, especially after how the first chapter resonated with audiences across India and beyond.
About Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra is a 2025 Indian Malayalam language superhero film written and directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan under Wayfarer Films. Kalyani Priyadarshan plays the lead character of Chandra in the film, where the other significant supporting characters are Naslen, Sandy, Arun Kurian, Chandu Salim Kumar and others. It is about a mysterious woman, Chandra, who comes to Bengaluru and gets entangled in the world of danger, power, and myth, when she learns about her own superhuman powers and feels compelled to face the dark power that is threatening the society.
Widely acclaimed due to a fresh approach to superhero narrative and a strong female protagonist, the movie is a blend of folklore, fantasy, and contemporary cinematography that creates a new cinematic world, which is based on Indian mythological imagination. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra has also been a massive commercial success, becoming the highest grossing Malayalam film of all time and becoming the first Malayalam film to reach major revenue markers around the world.
Cinematographer Nimish Ravi, editor Chaman Chakko, and music director Jakes Bejoy create the film as part of its immersive world building and the story that invites the audience to engage. The success of the project has created a big expectation to Lokah Chapter 2 that is likely to expand the universe and proceed with the exciting journey started in the first installment.
Also Read | Kiara Advani’s First Look Unveiled as Nadia in Yash’s Toxic
