Santhy Balachandran on why she said yes to Krishand’s 4.5 Gang despite limited screentime

In a chat with OTTplay, Lokah co-writer Santhy opened up about why she said yes to Krishand’s series, which also had the most expensive accessory she has ever worn for a film or a series - braces!

Santhy Balachandran plays Kingini in Krishand’s series, 4.5 Gang 

Lokah Chapter 1 Chandra released in theatres on August 28, 2025, which also marked actress Santhy Balachandran’s debut as a screenwriter. But Santhy had another release the very same day - the web series, titled The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang. When OTTplay recently caught up with Santhy Balachandran, or Santhy Bee to her friends, the actress opened up about why she said yes to Krishand’s wacky series, which also had the most expensive accessory she has ever worn for a film or a series - braces!

Santhy Balachandran on 4.5 Gang

Sambhava Vivaranam Nalara Sangham or The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang is helmed by filmmaker Krishand, who crafts yet another distinctive gangster narrative, with a good dose of comedy. Santhy, who appears in the series as Kingini, tells OTTplay that she is fascinated by the brilliance of Krishand’s craft.

“Even though Kingini’s role is quite small in terms of screen space, I really wanted to work with Krishand because I think he has a brilliant mind. I wanted to see how this person conceives things and executes them. The name Kingini was another draw. I immediately told him I would love to have a Kingini in my filmography,” she remarked.

Also read: The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang review: Krishand delivers a wacky series stamped with his signature style

Santhy B on her ‘most expensive accessory’

From the looks to characterisation, Santhy also contributed to adding nuances to Kingini, the coy girlfriend of Arikuttan, played by Sanju Sivram.

“Krishand is very collaborative. It was fun playing a character across three ages and figuring out Kingini’s evolution with him. He gave me the space to share my inputs to flesh out Kingini. There were discussions on her three looks, and when I suggested adding braces for the school girl look, he gave the go ahead. We had to get a mold made by a dentist, and it was definitely the most expensive accessory I have ever used as an actor,” she added.

Not just 4.5 Gang, Santhy is also a part of Krishand’s upcoming film Masthishka Maranam, which stars Rajisha Vijayan.

“We shot for Masthishka Maranam earlier this year. That is also a colourful and chaotic world, yet completely different from the one in 4.5 Gang. I love that he places the same actors in completely different contexts, giving us the opportunity to explore our range. Krishand has a unique worldview and that always comes through. He comes from a design and communication background. His shoots are extremely well-planned, and makes sure that everyone working on set has a positive experience. It’s a good environment to work in,” she added.

Also read: Not just for Lokah, Santhy Balachandran was stickler for perfection even in her debut film, vouches 4.5 Gang co-star Sanju Sivram | Exclusive

Prior to her screenwriting debut in Lokah, Santhy acted in films such as Jallikkattu Tharangam, Paapam Cheyyathavar Kalleriyatte, the Hindi film Gulmohar and the Tamil web series Sweet Kaaram Coffee.

4.5 Gang revolves around a bunch of 5 friends from a slum area, who seek to earn money and respect, but end up taking criminal ‘quotations’. The series, which features an ensemble cast, is streaming on SonyLiv via OTTplay Premium.

FAQs

Q. What is Santhy Balachandran's background?

A. Santhy Balachandran is a noted actress, who has featured in several notable films such as Jallikkattu Tharangam, Paapam Cheyyathavar Kalleriyatte, and Gulmohar.

Q. Who is Tovino in Lokah?

A. Tovino Thomas plays the character Chathan (Michael) in Lokah.

Q. Who is Charlie in Lokah?

A. Actor Dulquer Salmaan plays Charlie in Lokah.

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