Vineeth Sreenivasan hails Dulquer Salmaan’s risk on Lokah, urges OTTs to back Malayalam cinema
Actor-director Vineeth Sreenivasan, whose latest directorial Karam is streaming now on OTT, talks about what the success of Kalyani Priyadarshan’s Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra means to the industry
Last Updated: 05.39 PM, Nov 12, 2025
Even though Vineeth Sreenivasan’s latest film Karam failed to make a mark at the box office, the actor-director is thrilled about what Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra has achieved at the box office, with its Rs 300 Cr+ run worldwide.
“The success of Lokah gives all of us immense confidence,” he says, talking to OTTplay. “These days, there’s no certainty that OTT deals will materialise, and naturally, producers are apprehensive about investing beyond a certain limit. But when films like this succeed, it restores faith among filmmakers who wish to push boundaries, especially when they have to convince producers to back such projects.”
Vineeth wants OTTs to extend stronger support to Malayalam cinema
Vineeth agrees that Lokah producer Dulquer Salmaan had taken a gamble with backing the Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen-starrer, which is currently accessible via OTTplay Premium. But he also states that it’s important for OTT platforms to “extend stronger support to Malayalam cinema”.
“That’s what would give producers the courage to attempt more diverse films. Without that backing, anyone making such movies is taking a major risk. Even with Lokah, Dulquer took a huge risk, and it was the same with Karam,” he explains.
The director, who had also co-produced Karam with Visakh Subramaniam, said that when they decided to do the movie, the first call they took was to keep external financiers out. “We wanted to invest our own money and got a few of Visakh’s friends to contribute as well. The idea was to complete the film within that budget and we stretched it to the maximum we could. Our confidence came from the belief that if a Malayalam film garners good response, it will find an audience worldwide,” he explains.
Vineeth also explains that the market for Malayalam cinema has also expanded worldwide. “Over the past five to six years, there’s also been a noticeable increase in the migration of Malayalis to countries like the UK and Canada, which has significantly boosted the reach of our films. These audiences not only show up in theatres but also encourage their non-Malayali friends and colleagues abroad to experience these movies,” he says.
Vineeth Sreenivasan in Bha.Bha.Ba and Athiradi
Vineeth will next be seen in Dileep’s Bha. Bha. Ba, which will also have Mohanlal in an extended cameo. The film, directed by Dhananjay Shankar and also has Dhyan Sreenivasan in a pivotal role, will hit theatres on December 18. He is also part of another multi-starrer titled Athiradi, which has Tovino Thomas, Basil Joseph and Darshana Rajendran. The latter is directed by Arun Anirudhan.
FAQs:
Q. Which is the highest grossing Malayalam cinema of all time?
A. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra is the highest grossing Malayalam cinema with a box office collection of over Rs 300 Cr worldwide.
Q. Where to watch Lokah Chapter 1?
A. Kalyani Priyadarshan's Lokah is currently streaming on JioHotstar, which is accessible via OTTplay Premium.
Q. Was Karam directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan?
A. Yes, Karam marks Vineeth Sreenivasan's seventh directorial after Malarvady Arts Club, Thattathin Marayathu, Thira, Jacobinte Swargarajyam, Hridayam and Varshangalkku Shesham.