Actor-writer Santhy Balachandran took to social media on Sunday to share a deeply personal note of gratitude to her parents, following the resounding success of Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen in the lead.
In her post, Santhy reflected on the sacrifices her parents made as she chose to give up a stable academic path at Oxford for a career in the arts. “They have seen every up and down at close quarters, felt every moment of joy and heartache — possibly even more deeply than I have,” she wrote, adding that her parents had stood by her through every “curveball” she had thrown their way.
Santhy, who is credited with additional screenplay and dramaturgy in Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, said the most rewarding aspect of the film’s success has been watching her parents experience “joy and some measure of relief” after years of worry over her career choices. “Acha and Amma, thank you for being the best cheerleaders a girl could ask for. For giving me both wings and roots,” she added. The post was accompanied by photos of her with parents, shared as a carousel.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, directed by Dominic Arun, has become a phenomenon in Kerala and beyond. On Sunday, theatres across the state rolled out screenings from as early as 6 am to meet surging demand, a first for Malayalam cinema on the fourth day of release. Backed by Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films, the fantasy epic continues to run to packed houses, with dubbed versions in Telugu and Tamil also drawing strong audiences.
With more than 300 screens in Kerala reporting house-full shows, the film is on track to become one of Malayalam cinema’s biggest box office successes, and Santhy’s note adds a personal touch to the frenzy surrounding its historic run.
