Actor Ahaana Krishna took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a set of heartfelt stories celebrating the Kalyani Priyadarshan-starrer Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and the team behind its record-breaking success. Her posts were dedicated to director Dominic Arun and cinematographer Nimish Ravi, who she credited for building the world of Lokah with passion and perseverance.
In her first story, Ahaana recalled hearing Dominic narrate the script four years ago and watching him and Nimish work tirelessly ever since. She wrote, “The friendship and camaraderie between the two of you is the foundation of what we today call an INDUSTRY HIT. Thank you for inspiring. Thank you for dreaming big enough for all of us! Cannot wait to see what you’re going to do with the upcoming chapters – Dom & Nim and your entire dream team!”
Ahaana's second note was a more personal tribute to Nimish, recognising the cinematographer’s relentless dedication over the years. “After a whole day of shoot, anyone would be exhausted. But the last few years, while you were shooting all the films that you were doing, there wasn’t a day when you’d not call Dominic and discuss Lokah with him. How much ever busy or tired you were, you were so invested in what you and Dominic knew you both were building,” she wrote.
Ahaana added that Nimish stepped into Dominic’s dream “beyond the capabilities of a cinematographer” and was one of the biggest reasons why Lokah turned into what it is today. In a warm sign-off, she encouraged him to stay grounded and true to his craft: “Keep your head straight, feet firmly on the ground, heart in the right place, and focus on what you love most – bringing life and soul into the work you do and making meaningful cinema straight from the heart! You go boy!”
Interestingly, Ahaana herself made a fleeting cameo appearance in Lokah, which was directed by Dominic and backed by actor-producer Dulquer Salmaan. When recently asked if her character would be explored further in the upcoming instalments of the franchise, she responded with a playful, “Maybe.” The posts come just as Lokah continues its dream run at the box office, having emerged as the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever.
Ahaana and Nimish’s close friendship has often been the subject of speculation for many years. Addressing the rumours recently, Ahaana said in an interview, “Nimish is a close friend of mine. He is the one who shoots my music videos,” she said with a smile. Nimish, too, has clarified in the past that Ahaana is his best friend, not a love interest.