How a chance meeting opened the door for Chandu Salimkumar in ‘Lokah’
What made the experience more special was his father’s reaction. Salim Kumar, who rarely attends first-day shows, went with the family to watch ‘Lokah’ and returned home impressed by his son’s work.
What made the experience more special was his father’s reaction. Salim Kumar, who rarely attends first-day shows, went with the family to watch ‘Lokah’ and returned home impressed by his son’s work.
What made the experience more special was his father’s reaction. Salim Kumar, who rarely attends first-day shows, went with the family to watch ‘Lokah’ and returned home impressed by his son’s work.
Chandu Salimkumar, son of National Award-winning actor Salim Kumar, is carving his own space in Malayalam cinema. After a memorable one-liner in ‘Manjummel Boys’, he has now drawn attention with his performance as Venu in ‘Lokah’, which continues its strong run in theatres. Sharing screen space with Naslen and Kalyani Priyadarshan, Chandu has been praised for giving the role both charm and conviction.
What made the experience more special was his father’s reaction. Salim Kumar, who rarely attends first-day shows, went with the family to watch ‘Lokah’ and returned home impressed by his son’s work.
Chandu’s entry into the project happened almost by chance. At a preview of Mari Selvaraj’s Tamil film ‘Vaazhai’, he met casting director Vivek Anirudh, who later suggested his name to director Dominic. With Dulquer Salmaan, one of the film’s producers, quickly approving, Chandu was soon on board.
For him, the film was not just about playing Venu but also about building a lasting friendship with Dominic. “That’s the biggest gift ‘Lokah’ gave me,” he says.
He also came away inspired by Kalyani Priyadarshan’s work ethic. “While we began shooting around 8 or 9, she would be on set by 6, already in makeup. One day she had to perform a mid-air somersault and skipped meals to manage the stunt. By evening she had crossed 50 takes without slowing down. Watching her discipline was unbelievable. Honestly, I don’t know if I could push myself that far,” Chandu admits.
As ‘Lokah’ continues to draw audiences, Chandu is looking ahead with quiet determination. With the encouragement of his father, the guidance of collaborators, and the lessons learned from co-stars, he seems ready to take his next steps in cinema with confidence.