Lokah / Kotha Lokah – Chapter 1: Ambition Correlation

Star Cast:Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen, Sandy, Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Vijayaraghavan, Anna Ben, Tovino Thomas, Sunny Wayne, Mammootty and Dulquer Salmaan
Music Composed by James Bejoy
Cinematography by Nimish Ravi
Edited by Chaman Chakko
Written & Directed by Dominic Arun

When I first read the Ramayana, my initial thought was, “What would Sita have done if Rama were in her position – abducted by Surpanaka and restricted by a curse on Lord Vishnu’s powers?” I might have read the epic several times as a kid or even watched it repeatedly on TV, but by “first read”, I meant Sage Valmiki’s original version. This thought provoked me to consider how many female-led movies TFI has produced. There is a huge list, but the action genre has long been reserved for men. While there are exceptions, aberrations, and twists like Revolver Rani [1971], Prathighatana [1985], Prathidwani [1986], Kartavyam [1990], Osey Ramulamma [1997], Arundhati [2009], and Rudrama Devi [2015], I am not counting ghost horror or family sentiment films – with Arundhati as an exception. You can find Savitri-centric, Jamuna-centric, and Anjali Devi-centric films in the family genre. Sarada-centric and Vani Sri-centric films appear in the lady villain and revolutionary categories. But pure action films? Rare and unique to find. So, obviously, Lokah’s first glimpse itself caught my attention.

I had my doubts about Kalyani Priyadarshan pulling off such a layered character, while Dulquer Salmaan‘s involvement in production kept me interested. The glimpse and teaser have cemented my excitement. Why am I talking so much about all this and not jumping straight into my opinion? Some of you [those who are reading] might be thinking that I am trying to make a point about why Lokah is a rare commodity in Indian cinema. Some of you are disinterested and trying to find the paragraph where I started the “opinion and analysis.” Some of you are clueless yet interested in where I’m leading. Well, my reason is simple – I want more people to dare to think beyond tried and tested formulae for women-centric films [e.g., Paradha] and make interesting Indian films like Lokah. While it is not groundbreaking, it is entertaining with flaws.

Spoiler alert: Even the garlic won’t save you now  

Just imagine if Sita had to find her Rama, but she could not stay with him due to the curses she had to endure and even if she wished, she could neither stay away nor stay with him. In principle, that is Chandra aka Neeli’s story. What if Sita had to fight a Ravana-level Rakshasa to save her kingdom as a 10-year-old, and in the process, lose her humanity? Maybe it is easy to imagine this as the divine Goddess Lakshmi showcasing her powers, but what if she were just another human being? She would need some “virus” to infect and change the entire chemical balance of her body to transform. At its crux, Chandra’s plot is not just about her introduction, but her love-hate relationship with the fate she never desired. As Neeli, she wanted to be a regular kid – curious, funny, and naughty. But all of it led to the loss of parents, desertion, self-loathing, loneliness, and never-ending sorrow that is, immortality. Ramayana became an epic not because Sita needed Rama to save her, but because the entire universe needed to be saved from Ravana. Metaphorically, it tells us: if you try to grab power with mental and physical strength, it will find a way to destroy you. Sita is the metaphorical power and virtue that one desires. Hence, Rama even in forests – lived like a king, while a mighty emperor like Ravana had to plead, beg, get humiliated, defeated, and ultimately killed.

Now, coming to the clever subversion by the makers regarding the Yekshi – Neeli story is fascinating. Well, in mythology, Yaksha, Kinnara, and Kimpurusha are different from the Yekshi that Malayali people believe in. Neeli becoming a vampire and ending up saving her village is a subversion of Kalliyankattu Neeli (read her story, if you’re interested). The makers cleverly made her a hero who is ready to sacrifice, rather than a bloodthirsty ghost from the legends. Such a subversion was done in Once Upon a Time, the TV series based on popular Disney fairytales. Here, the subversion works as previously mentioned, the Sita saving Rama kind of premise becomes relatable through surreal lensing. You’re not watching a simple, domesticated revenge or vengeance story, but an evolution story of a vampire from being a person who works under wraps to someone who becomes a savior, while also highlighting the parallel evolution story of a Ravana like predator. You witness a subversion of Yama, the punisher, in human form.

While it has not been explicitly stated or explored, Dulquer Salmaan is more like a subdued Ghostrider, for your easy reference. In mythology, Yama waits until your death to punish you; here, however, if your soul crosses paths with him, you are deemed for death if you’re filled with impurities. The Goblin is a nice visual representation and modernization of Kuttichathan. You see how he is able to transport you into an unbelievably surreal world, pushing you to the edge of madness. Playfully portrayed by Tovino Thomas, the 389 sibling rivalry would be an even bigger mystery with loads of possibilities to explore. Sunny Wayne as Kadamattathu Kathanar is good, and again, there is a superb subversion making him a protector, gatherer, and collector rather than someone who aims to control the beings. Well, we do not know about Moothon (Ikka) yet, but there is a lot to uncover in Malayali legends and mythology. So, bringing them to life with the “They’re All Among Us” theory opens up the universe to infinite permutations and combinations.

While all these possibilities excite, the makers have taken inspiration in narrative from films like Blade Runner [1982] (Dystopian World Building), Arcane [2021] (Song references, character and action), Snatch [2000] (hidden team working on greater good), and Dracula [1992] in creating visual semblance. The way Neeli becomes a goddess and a protector changes the perception, but the writing here feels slightly jarring. It’s intentional, aiming to introduce another probable superhero or supervillain, but it needed smoother execution. Also, there is a slight randomness in the script, as you’re left wondering about the legends more often than not. The surreal setup at times lets everything stay unbelievable, and the screenplay doesn’t make an effort to maintain a smooth flow. Good action set pieces and agile choreography help it big time, but predictability seems to be a major drawback. Your intrigue about the present and past being correlated has been hampered by dragging sequences. The makers hint at the rebirth of Naslen, but they don’t completely explore it. They could have made it into a romance that may not blossom yet has a future, with revelation of the past in relation to the present, leaving room for what’s to come. They should have even worked on death blows and killing of vampires, slightly exploring the backstory of Moothon, Kadamattathu Kathanar, and Yama to properly give scenes an end. More or less, the influence of Wonder Woman [2017] does show up in the second hour. While being so original, the makers could have taken another original route to interweave past with present.

Well, Kalyani Priyadarshan needs to be applauded for transforming herself completely into the character. Maybe her tendency to be less expressive and more reliant on her big eyes might be a plus for this character. She never tried to overact, and that is a big plus for this film. Jakes Bejoy, with his music, kept every scene lively. Visuals, especially the inventive use of exposition and anime-style storytelling stand out, with creativity seamlessly paired with a bold and refreshing vision. Lokah is not about its dense plot or setup for the next Goblin and shape-shifter stories, but it is about achieving standards of par excellence on a shoestring budget with proper vision. Overall, Malayalam makers are again ready to let Indian cinema learn how to use resources powerfully and bring flawless flow to fight choreography and VFX. Lokah Chapter 1 withstands the stormy ocean tides like an offshore oil rig, somehow supplying the world with fuel. It lays the foundation for a sprawling cinematic universe, leaving us wanting more as if the first step is so calculated and magnetic that you’re instantly pulled in, like a child at a carnival drawn to the thrill of a towering roller coaster, its ambition echoing the promise of something grand and unforgettable.

Theatrical Trailer: