Putting an end to all speculations, it has finally been announced that Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra will have its digital release on October 31. JioHotstar has picked the streaming rights for Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, and Marathi versions.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, currently the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever, is a fantasy spectacle rooted in local myths and folklore. Kalyani Priyadarshan headlines the film, supported by Naslen and Sandy in important roles. While Tovino Thomas and Dulquer Salmaan appear in cameo roles, Mammootty also makes his presence felt with a voice act.
Upon its release in August, the Dominic Arun directorial was highly appreciated for its world-building, performances, and production values. The film soon emerged as a talking point across film circles in the country, with the dubbed Tamil and Telugu versions also faring well at the box office. Riding high on positive word of mouth, it eventually breached the ₹ 300 crore mark, becoming the first-ever Malayalam film to achieve the feat.
Although there were rumours about an early OTT release, the makers waited to cash in on the rush in theatres during the Pooja and Diwali season before announcing the streaming date. The film is produced by Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra is the first instalment in a planned five-part franchise. As confirmed by the makers, the second part will be headlined by Tovino, with more exciting cast additions expected. The same core technical team, including co-writer and dramaturgist Santhy Balachandran, cinematographer Nimish Ravi, music director Jakes Bejoy, editor Chaman Chakko, production designer Banglan, and stunt choreographer Yannick Ben, is also likely to be retained.
