Lokesh Kanagaraj Learnt Lesson from The Past?

Filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj is one of Tamil cinema’s celebrated directors. The director was criticized for his last outing ‘Leo’ 2023, which starred Vijay Thalapathy. The uninteresting second half had left many audience disengaged with the story. Later, he himself agreed with the flaw in the making of Leo and what had went wrong.

Lokesh’s commitment to Coolie also stems from the lessons he learnt from Leo. While Leo was a commercial blockbuster, earning over Rs. 600 crore worldwide, it faced criticism for its second half, particularly the flashback portions.

Kanagaraj also candidly admitted that the last 20 minutes didn’t actually connect with audiences. It disrupted the film’s pacing and narrative flow. Critics and fans noted that the flashback sequences felt disjointed, failing to match the intensity of the first half.

Acknowledging this, Lokesh openly admitted the flaws in the making and responded to criticism. Determined not to repeat the same mistakes, he approached Coolie with meticulous planning.

Now, it is learnt that he has sacrificed two years of his personal life, pouring his heart and soul into Coolie which stars Superstar Rajinikanth as the protagonist.

This ambitious action thriller is one of the much awaited flicks of the year.

In an interview, Lokesh revealed that during his 36th and 37th birthdays, he sacrificed personal connections, stepping away from family, friends, and even social media to focus solely on crafting the cinematic spectacle Coolie.

Describing it as his most intense project by far, he said he happened to work so focused in every aspect of Coolie, from scripting to post-production.

He said he ensured Coolie resonated with Rajinikanth’s larger-than-life persona on the big screen.

His fans on social media are heaping praises for his dedication as the film underscores Lokesh’s passion for delivering a film that could redefine mass entertainers.

With a stellar cast including Akkineni Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, Sathyaraj and a cameo by Aamir Khan, the film is banking on its direction, screenplay and star power.

Set for release on August 14, 2025, Coolie promises a gripping story centered on gold smuggling.