Lokah Faces Complaint In Bangalore; Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films Issues Statement Over Dialogue

Lokah Faces Legal Complaint: The Malayalam superhero film Lokah Chapter: 1 Chandra, produced by Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films and directed by Dominic Arun, has come under scrutiny after a complaint was filed with the City Police Commissioner. According to a report by Manorama News, several Kannada-language organizations have alleged that the film portrays girls in Bangalore negatively and is offensive to Kannada sentiment.

The complaints also raise concerns about other films such as Officer on Duty and Aavesham, claiming they depict the city as a hub of substance abuse and violence. The City Police Commissioner reportedly confirmed that the complaint would be examined by the Social Media Monitoring Cell of the Crime Branch, and any legal violations identified will be acted upon.

Meanwhile, Wayfarer Films issued a statement acknowledging the concern. The statement read: "It has come to our attention that a dialogue delivered by one of the characters in our film Lokah: Chapter One has unintentionally hurt the sentiments of people from Karnataka. At Wayfarer Films, we place people above everything else. We deeply regret this oversight and assure you that no offence was intended. The dialogue in question will be removed/edited at the earliest. We sincerely apologise for the hurt caused and humbly request you to accept our apology."

Lokah Becomes Highest-Grossing Female-Led South Indian Film

Lokah Chapter: 1 Chandra, which premiered in theaters on August 28, 2025, follows the story of Chandra, a goth woman who arrives in Bangalore under mysterious circumstances. She moves into an apartment in the city, where she meets Sunny, a young man currently out of work, along with his friends Venu and Naijil. As the narrative unfolds, an organ trafficking ring and violent incidents lead Chandra to reveal hidden powers, drawing her companions into a world intertwined with shadowy forces, myths, and government pursuits.

Despite the ongoing controversy, the film continues to perform strongly at the box office. Film industry tracker AB George noted on social media that Lokah has become the highest-grossing female-led film from South India, surpassing the final collection of Mahanati within its first six days of release.

The movie stars Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen, and Sandy in lead roles, supported by Chandu Salimkumar, Arun Kurian, Nishanth Sagar, Vijayaraghavan, Sarath Sabha, and Raghunath Paleri. Technical credits include Nimish Ravi as cinematographer, Chaman Chakko as editor, and Jakes Bejoy as the music composer.

As the film draws attention for both its box office performance and the ongoing complaint, attention now turns to whether Karnataka authorities will take further action.