In a stunning revelation, actress Kalyani Priyadarshan has shared that she was gripped by crippling self-doubt during the making of the blockbuster film 'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra', which went on to become the highest-grossing Malayalam movie of all time. Despite the film's historic success and her own acclaimed performance, Kalyani confessed to fearing she might be the weakest link in the ambitious project.
"I Might Be The Worst Thing": Kalyani's Crisis of Confidence
In a candid interview with The Nod, Kalyani Priyadarshan recalled a moment of deep anxiety just one week into the shoot. She revealed that she called the film's producer, Dulquer Salmaan, expressing her fears that she did not fit the character of Chandra. "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 admitted.
The core of her struggle lay in portraying Chandra's emotionless and reserved nature. Kalyani, who describes herself as naturally expressive, found it challenging to embody a character who could not frown, smile, or react in human ways. The director's strict instructions heightened her fear of appearing stiff and unconvincing on screen.
Fear of Audience Misinterpretation
Another major worry for the actress was how Indian audiences would perceive Chandra's stoic demeanor. "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," Kalyani explained. She was concerned that viewers would mistake the character's robotic calm for a weak or flat performance from the actor.
Ultimately, the journey of making the film taught her a valuable lesson: to stop second-guessing audience reactions. Her fears proved entirely unfounded. Critics and audiences widely praised her restrained performance for its precision and emotional subtlety. The film's monumental success highlighted a growing appetite among viewers for unconventional and powerful female portrayals in Indian cinema.
About the Historic Film 'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra'
'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra' marked a watershed moment for Malayalam cinema by introducing its first major female superhero. The plot follows Sunny, a young man intrigued by his mysterious neighbour, Chandra. His curiosity leads him to discover that she is not human and that ancient myths from Kerala's rich folklore are very much alive.
The narrative traces Chandra's awakening to her supernatural abilities, with Sunny becoming unintentionally entangled in her world of shadowy forces and dangerous secrets. Directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan under Wayfarer Film Company, the film launched the ambitious Wayfarer Cinematic Universe (WCU).
The ensemble cast includes Naslen, Sandy, Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Raghunath Paleri, Vijayaraghavan, Nithya Shri, and Sarath Sabha. The film had a theatrical release on August 28, 2025, and later made its digital debut on the OTT platform JioHotstar on October 31, 2025.
Kalyani Priyadarshan's journey from self-doubt to starring in a record-shattering film stands as a powerful testament to an actor's process, proving that even amidst immense success, personal battles with confidence are a universal experience.
