Dulquer Salman’s Wayfarer Films has issued a public apology after a dialogue in its latest release, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, sparked backlash for allegedly hurting the sentiments of people from Karnataka. The controversy reportedly stems from a line delivered by one of the film’s antagonistic characters, in which women from Bengaluru are slut-shamed.
In an official statement released on Monday, September 2, the production house said they regretted the “oversight,” assuring that no offence was intended and that the dialogue in question will be either removed or edited at the earliest.
“At Wayfarer Films, we place people above everything else. We deeply regret this oversight and assure you that no offence was intended,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologise for the hurt caused and humbly request you to accept our apology.”
Directed by Dominic Arun and co-written with Santhy Balachandran, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra is positioned as the first installment of a larger Malayalam superhero universe. Starring Kalyani Priyadarshan in the lead role, alongside Naslen and a supporting cast of young actors, the film has been widely praised for its visual scale, technical finesse, and fresh attempt at building a homegrown fantasy franchise.
In her review for TNM, Sukanya Shaji writes, “Lokah closes with a slight glimpse of what is to come — a Kerala-coded Avengers-like ensemble drawn from the lore of kings, yakshis, goddesses, chaathans, maadans, and odiyans. The setting and styling are modern, but the pulse of this cinematic universe, backed by Dulquer Salmaan’s banner Wayfarer Films, is joyously native.”
