Why Did Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra Got A Modest OTT Deal? Here’s What We Know

Exploring the reason behind Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra’s modest OTT deal despite significant box office success

- December 3, 2025 | 12:55 PM IST

The reason behind Lokah Chapter 1’s underwhelming OTT deal (Photo Credit –Facebook)

Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra has turned into a significant milestone for Malayalam cinema. The film eventually became the highest-grossing Malayalam movie of all time. It also had a dream run in theatres before arriving on Jio Hotstar. Despite its considerable success, the film secured a modest OTT deal, and the reason behind it is pretty unexpected.

The Early OTT Offer Was Much Lower Than Expected

Lokah became a massive hit after its release, but before the film reached theatres, the team struggled to get a firm OTT offer. Dulquer Salmaan opened up about the situation in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter India.

He mentioned the movie went over the planned budget not once but twice, which made it a risky project for buyers. As a result, several platforms were hesitant to pick it up. Dulquer also shared the most surprising part. The first OTT offer was very low because he and Tovino Thomas appeared in the film for only a few minutes. Some people even told him that the deal would increase only if he appeared on screen for more than thirty minutes. However, he chose not to alter anything in the film solely to improve the offer.

Even though Lokah created history at the box office later, the early negotiations were already done. That is why the final digital deal ended up being modest compared to the huge theatrical numbers.

Lokah was eventually released on Jio Hotstar, and the film is now reaching a broader audience on streaming.

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More About Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra

Directed by Dominic Arun, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra has been produced by actor-producer Dulquer Salmaan under the Wayfarer Films banner. The movie is a superhero story set inside a new Malayalam cinematic universe. It focuses on Chandra, played by Kalyani Priyadarshan, who finds herself caught in a world connected to ancient powers and hidden forces. Her journey forms the emotional core of the story. The film builds a larger world that links to future characters and upcoming chapters in the franchise.

Interested viewers can stream Lokah on JioHotstar, available in seven languages.