Kotha Lokah: Chapter 1 - Chandra Review

You can take pride in India's rich classical and folk traditions without forcing every modern invention into the frame of ancient scriptures - a trend that has become all too common these days. India already holds a treasure chest of timeless stories, and storytelling itself is what makes us human; it is what sets us apart from animals. You don't need to imitate the West, nor endlessly recycle old ideas. Simply telling your own story with honesty can produce pure gold. Kotha Lokah: Chapter 1 - Chandra (let's call it just Chandra) does exactly that. It reimagines the folklore of Kalliyankattu Neeli, a folk legend from Kerala, in a contemporary setting.

While Marvel and DC spin new fantasies, India already has a reservoir of myths and legends. Mollywood proved it with Minnal Murali and raises the bar with Chandra. As the first step in a universe of folklore fantasy, this film is nothing short of groundbreaking. Crafted at just Rs 30 crore, it achieves what Marvel or DC might attempt with Rs 3,000 crore.

Chandra (Kalyani Priyadarshan), a mysterious woman from Sweden, is summoned to Bangalore by a shadowy figure commanding superpowered beings across the world. She rents an apartment and meets Sunny (Naslen), a jobless youth, and his friends Venu and Naijil. Though Sunny is drawn to her, Chandra remains distant, working night shifts at a café.

Meanwhile, an organ trafficking ring thrives under Inspector Nachiyappa Gowda (Sandy), a hardline conservative moral-policing cop. When Murugesan, a member of the trafficking gang, attacks Chandra's workplace, she secretly uses her powers to save Sunny and others. Murugesan reports her abilities to Nachiyappa. Later, when the gang kidnaps her, Chandra awakens as Kalliyankattu Neeli - a yakshini (powerful and voluptuous demi-goddess) born centuries ago from a massacred Kerala tribe - and slaughters her captors.

Don't mistake the above plot points for a simplistic story. The film weaves a layered narrative with a strong backbone: why Chandra comes to Bangalore, the nature of her powers and vulnerabilities, why she chooses night over day, what drives Nachiyappa, the core conflict at the heart of the clash between Chandra and Nachiyappa, and the larger arc that sets the stage for future installments in the franchise. As a jigsaw puzzle, the movie has joined almost all the bits perfectly. Only a few lie around as transitional bits for the next movies.

So why did I go gaga over the movie? Beyond its fantastic plot, Chandra shines with one of the smartest screenplays in recent times. To showcase Chandra's superpowers, the film avoids overblown spectacle or unnecessary expense, relying instead on sharp, inventive writing. Two sequences stand out. In one, a drugged and weakened Chandra clings to the poles of an autorickshaw as gang members try to shove her inside. The poles bend under the strain, but though impaled she refuses to let go - a raw, powerful image. In another, she ascends the towering ladders of an acid factory with eerie ease, carrying the corpses of her attackers. She climbs 90-degree vertically.

The dialogues are precise - never excessive, never shallow - and the emotions feel authentic, exactly how you or I might react in those situations. Most importantly, this superhero doesn't emerge unscathed. She bears injuries and trauma, a rarity in Telugu cinema where even in family dramas heroes single-handedly thrash dozens of goons without so much as a wrinkle on their starched shirts.

In Chandra, most of the key events unfold in the nights - and for good reasons. The choice isn't just aesthetic; it serves a crucial plot point. Shooting in the dark also trims the need for elaborate sets, props and visual spectacle, allowing the film to stay grounded. More importantly, the night shifts the audience's focus squarely onto the characters and the important subjects, rather than the backdrop. This deliberate use of darkness deepens your engagement, pulling you closer to what's happening in the moment rather than distracting you with what surrounds it.

If the film falters, it's in two places. First, some of the flashbacks feel abrupt. Just when the tension in Chandra's present-day struggles reaches a peak, the narrative at some places suddenly shifts to Kalliyankattu Neeli's backstory. Though it does circle back to complete the interrupted sequences, the detour momentarily dilutes the momentum. Second, Tovino Thomas's extended cameo near the climax feels slightly overstretched. That said, when Dulquer Salmaan makes his surprise appearance after the climax - yes, the story continues briefly to tease what lies ahead in the franchise - you're willing to forgive the earlier indulgence.

However, despite these two shortcomings, the film stands as a well-rounded, self-contained work that still succeeds in laying a strong foundation for a Kerala folklore-based superhero fantasy universe.

Kalyani Priyadarshan is phenomenal as Chandra. She carries an aura of mystery. With only a handful of dialogues - barely a few paragraphs in the entire film - her expressions do all the heavy-lifting, her presence commands attention, and when the combat sequences arrive, she is nothing short of electrifying. Her physique lends authenticity to the action, making her a convincing, grounded superhero.

Naslen as Sunny, the aimless youth, injects charm and humour without ever straining for laughs. Much of Chandra's power is felt through his helplessness and awestruck reactions.

Sandy, as the corrupt cop Nachiyappa, is menacing from the start, and as the movie progresses his performance goes from strong to spectacular - he is the film's surprise package.

Dulquer Salmaan's cameo is refreshing, and serves the story instead of pandering to markets.

The screenplay remains impeccable, with editing that shines in clever transitions - like bullets being tugged with tongs cutting to ice in a drink, or salt sprinkling blending into a starry sky. The action is not overdone; instead, it is inventive, suggestive and impactful, without drowning in gore.

Jake Bejoy's background score may feel vaguely familiar to Hollywood comics, yet it elevates every scene.

The film begins with the disclaimer that it's fiction, but then paradoxically makes its fantasy feel real - like dakshas and dakshinis truly walk among us. With its superb storytelling, perfect world-building, inventive craft and stellar performances, Kotha Lokah: Chapter 1 proves that even with limited resources cinema can still feel epic.