'Growing up on sets shaped who I am today'

She's made history, and like Deepavali, she's blazing a new trail. Kalyani Priyadarshan, India's first female superhero, talks to Indulge about her post-Lokah journey, Deepavali rituals, and the unstoppable force she's becoming | By P Sangeetha

- P Sangeetha

SHE'S GOT STYLE, she's got sass, and yes, superpowers too! When Kalyani Priyadarshan lit up the screen in the recently released Malayalam blockbuster Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, she didn't need to be all trussed up in a cape to prove she was a superhero. In fact, she was the storm, wrapped in South Indian swag, armed with incredible powers, and dripping with attitude. In the meantime, the film not only went on to smash records, but it exploded at the box office like Deepavali fireworks, shining as one of the most-watched Malayalam hits in recent times.

Riding the festive wave, Indulge caught up with Kalyani, the woman dubbed India's first female superhero, to break down her Lokah high, what's next on her radar, how her film family fire fuels her, the lessons that keep her slaying, and her Deepavali game plan.

So, how's life treating her now that she has stirred up the Lokah storm? "It's strange because on one hand, nothing changes overnight, but on the other, everything sort of does. There's this quiet awareness that being part of a project like this could crack open the door for more stories led by women. And that feels special," begins Kalyani.

Lokah's action scenes packed quite a punch; how did she get battle-ready? "Well, my training started the moment I said yes to the role because this kind of intense action was completely new to me. Growing up, I wouldn't have called myself athletic, so preparing for this film really pushed me to find a strength I didn't know I had. We trained in everything, right from building stamina and strength to boxing and Muay Thai."