India, Sept. 4 -- While female-led films have started to enter the Rs.100 crore club in Hindi cinema over the last decade, the same has not been true for the four southern industries. Over the last 10 years, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam cinema have made giant leaps in terms of box office collections. But these have largely been on the back of mass action films headlined by male superstars. It is only this year that a South Indian film led by a female star has finally crossed the Rs.100 crore mark worldwide. And it has been achieved by someone not traditionally considered a star.

Malayalam superhero film, Lokah Chapter 1, has emerged as one of the biggest success stories in Indian cinema in 2025. After just seven days in the thea...