When the Yakshi Becomes the Superhero

If I were to choose one word to describe this film, it would be pride.

Lokah dares to reimagine the age-old, stereotyped character of Kalliyankattu Neeli, giving her a refreshing and powerful perspective. Traditionally, the haunting yakshi has been reduced to a trope — a luring, seductive spirit used to evoke fear. But this movie reshapes that narrative, making space for a woman to stand tall at the center of a superhero story.

In folklore and cinema alike, when a woman asserts herself or protects her community, she is often demonized — branded as a witch or a yakshi. The difference from Western storytelling lies in how we depict these figures: in our tradition, the yakshi is portrayed as irresistibly beautiful and enchanting, transforming into an "ugly" form only when the curse of black magic surfaces.

Lokah breaks this pattern. Even as the yakshi takes down vile lives, she retains her alluring, commanding aura. The film portrays her paleness and weariness not as monstrous aesthetics but as human vulnerabilities. This redefinition is both bold and necessary — reclaiming the yakshi from her one-dimensional stereotype and elevating her as a symbol of strength, complexity, and resistance.