Dulquer Salmaan is still processing Lokah Chapter 1’s overwhelming success: ‘I have not experienced this as a hero in any of my films’

Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra has taken the industry by surprise with its inventive storytelling and wholesome entertainment, slowly but surely becoming a massive success. The film began its box office journey on a modest note, but thanks to overwhelmingly positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth, it has quickly gained momentum. As of Wednesday evening, the film has grossed ₹46.14 crore in the domestic market and crossed ₹101 crore worldwide, marking a major milestone for the team behind it. At a success meet held in Hyderabad on Wednesday night, producer Dulquer Salmaan opened up about the film’s extraordinary reception. Speaking at the event, the actor-producer admitted he was still coming to terms with the overwhelming response. An X user shared a clip from the event, where he said:

“To all of the audiences everywhere, we are still trying to process what is happening, because for us, Lokah was always something very intimate. It almost felt like a very, very expensive indie film. But the way it has just blown up, and everyone all over the country, across the world, is discussing it, is embracing it, it’s unprecedented,” he said. Reflecting on his own filmography, Dulquer Salmaan added that he has never witnessed such a reaction to any of his previous films. “I have done 40-plus movies, and I have not experienced this as a hero in any of my films. So thank you. Thank you, wonderful audiences. And thank you, Telugu audiences, for accepting Lokah as your own film, the way you’ve accepted me. I’ve always felt like I belong here, and I feel like this film also belongs here.”

#Lokah – I have done 40+ films as a Hero & I haven’t experienced this much response for any of my films as Hero, Lokah has blown across the country & world, Thanks to the audience for making it a huge success ~ dulquer ❤️ pic.twitter.com/iOPFnA4w9H

— ” (@dulQerist) September 3, 2025

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While the film, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan in the leading role, continues to earn acclaim across regions, it also found itself in the midst of a controversy. A particular dialogue in the film allegedly hurt the sentiments of the Kannada-speaking community, leading to backlash on social media. In response, Dulquer’s production house, Wayfarer Films, issued a public apology and confirmed that the “dialogue in question” would be removed or edited from the film to avoid further offense.