'Lokah' Star Kalyani Priyadarshan on Her Father’s Reaction To Film: 'He messaged Me — Don’t Let Success Get To Your Head'
Veteran director Priyadarshan had some words of wisdom for her daughter following the massive success of 'Lokah'
Acclaimed filmmaker Priyadarshan had much to say about his daughter's choice of roles and the massive success of Lokah. When the female-led Malayalam superhero was in its early stages, not everyone was convinced. Dulquer Salmaan, who backed the ambitious project, recalls how star Kalyani Priyadarshan’s father — the legendary filmmaker Priyadarshan — reacted with disbelief.
“Her dad didn’t expect it. He was like, ‘What were you thinking? Why would you take this bet?’” Dulquer says, laughing. “I told him honestly — I didn’t know. I just believed in the idea. It felt right.” With mounting production costs and high expectations, both families were understandably concerned. “My dad (veteran actor Mammootty) was worried too,” Dulquer admits. “They all thought we were a little mad.”
However, behind that concern was also a deep-seated pride. “They’re very proud now,” Dulquer adds. “I think now we’ve earned some leeway to make the kind of movies we believe in. They’re starting to think maybe we know what we’re doing.”
For Kalyani, the journey was equally emotional. Her father’s response to the film’s success wasn’t just celebratory — it was grounding. “The first message he sent me after everything blew up was, ‘Don’t let success get to your head and don’t let failure get to your heart,’” she shares. “He says it often, but this time he sent it as a reminder, and he keeps reminding me every day. That’s what I hold on to.”
Their stories reveal not just the pressure of legacy, but the weight of personal expectations. “Her dad’s adorable,” Dulquer says fondly. “He’s more worried she’ll hurt herself doing all these action roles. ‘She’s already done boxing in one movie and now she’s doing this’".
Released on August 28 to coincide with the Onam festival, Lokah has been positioned as the opening chapter of a five-part cinematic universe. Written and directed by Dominic Arun, with dramaturgy and additional screenplay contributions from actor Santhy Balachandran, the film reimagines a strand of Kerala’s folklore through the lens of modern fantasy and superhero storytelling.
Watch out for our full interview with the actor, dropping at 8 PM tonight on The Hollywood Reporter India's YouTube channel.