Lokah Chapter 1 – Chandra vs Mahavatar Narsimha Box Office Collection: When Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra released in late August 2025, it was seen as a daring leap for Malayalam cinema—a folklore-inspired superhero story built around Chandra, a reinterpretation of the legendary Yakshi. The film generated buzz for its visual ambition and narrative scope and quickly crossed multiple box office milestones.
Meanwhile, Mahavatar Narsimha, an animated mythological epic, stormed theaters in multiple languages and set new records for Indian animation. In its 5th week, Lokah had hopes of climbing yet further in the rankings, but reports show that it failed to surpass Mahavatar Narsimha in 5th-week collections — meaning Mahavatar Narsimha still holds the advantage in sustained performance.
This article will look at what Lokah is about and how it achieved its success despite modest expectations, and then compare it against Mahavatar Narsimha, which has broken records both theatrically and on OTT.
Lokah Chapter 1 – Chandra: Story, Box Office Journey, and Critical Reception
View this post on Instagram
Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra is directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Wayfarer Films, with Kalyani Priyadarshan in the lead as Chandra. The film reimagines Kalliyankattu Neeli, a traditional mythic figure, as Chandra—a vigilante who fights for the oppressed under a hood of mystery and power. Critics noted that the film tries to merge Kerala folklore with a modern superhero aesthetic, opening with the line “Some legends have an element of truth.”
When it was first announced, the producers didn’t set massive expectations; this was a genre experiment in regional cinema. But early audience response pushed its trajectory upward. Within 11 days, Lokah had crossed ₹82.6 crore across languages, making it a major Onam release.
It also became one of the highest grossing Malayalam films globally, surpassing several older records. Its technical crew includes cinematographer Nimish Ravi, editor Chaman Chakko, and composer Jakes Bejoy, whose background score drew praise for enhancing mood and mythic presence.
Do Check Out: In ‘Lokah,’ Malayalam Cinema Finally Lets a Woman Wear the Cape
However, despite this momentum, when stacked against Mahavatar Narsimha, Lokah could not overtake it in the 5th week’s earnings. The Times of India reports that Lokah “fails to beat Mahavatar Narsimha as the second highest 5th week collection of 2025.” That means while Lokah grew quickly, Mahavatar Narsimha sustained its hold longer.
Also worth noting: Lokah has faced some controversy. A dialogue referring to Bengaluru as a “hub of parties and drugs” was criticized by Karnataka’s public, leading the production to issue an apology and clarify that the story is fictional and not set in Bangalore. In sum, Lokah became a powerful local triumph, pushing boundaries and performing very well, but its inability in week 5 to outpace Mahavatar Narsimha highlights the challenge of long-term box office dominance.
Mahavatar Narsimha: Box Office Records and OTT Success
Mahavatar Narsimha is an animated mythological epic directed by Ashwin Kumar. The story draws from Purana texts and focuses on Prahlad’s devotion, his father Hiranyakashipu’s tyranny, and the emergence of Lord Vishnu’s avatar Narsimha to restore cosmic order.
From the start, Mahavatar Narsimha defied animation norms in Indian cinema. In just 10 days, it earned ₹91.25 crore domestically, making it India’s highest-grossing animated film at that time. (Hindustan Times, India Today) As its theatrical run continued, estimates placed its global gross in the ₹300+ crore range, outperforming expectations by a large margin.
On the OTT front, Mahavatar Narsimha moved to Netflix as of September 19, 2025, making it accessible to wider audiences beyond theaters. The film’s multi-language releases (Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam) also help its reach.
Its box office stamina is evident: while Lokah had a strong 5th week, Mahavatar Narsimha still outpaced it there. That sustained performance gives it the edge in rankings and in legacy.
