Hyderabad: Female-centric films often face challenges at the box office compared to hero-driven movies. In Bollywood, a few women-led projects have found success, but in South Indian cinema, only a handful have managed to become commercial blockbusters. These rare successes show that strong stories and good production can bring audiences to theaters for female-led films.
Top Grossing Female-Led Films
Over the years, a few South Indian films led by women have done well worldwide:
• Mahanati – Rs. 90 crores
• Rudramadevi – Rs. 86 crores
• Arundhati – Rs. 70 crores
• Bhagamathie – Rs. 67 crores
Now, a new entry has taken the top spot.
Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra
The Malayalam superhero film Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan, has become the highest-grossing female-led South Indian movie. In just six days, it collected Rs. 93 crores globally, breaking the record held by Mahanati since 2018.
The film is directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan. Made on a budget of over Rs. 30 crores, it has impressed audiences with its visuals and scale. It is performing strongly in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Telugu states. A Hindi release is set for this week, which is expected to push collections past the Rs. 100 crore mark.
Lokah is the first part of a planned five-film franchise, with stories already prepared for all installments. Its success marks a milestone for female-led cinema in the South and sets a new benchmark for future films in this space.
The next test will come with Ghaati, starring Anushka Shetty, releasing on September 5.
