Ajay Kumar at 16:53, 17 August 2023

2023-08-17T16:53:41Z

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{{Short description|Indian filmmaker and screenwriter}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lokesh Kanagaraj
| image = Lokesh Kanagaraj at The ‘Zee Cine Awards’.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Lokesh in 2020
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1986|03|14}}<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=Kanagaraj In Conversation With Ramya Subramanian |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFX5JdLgO68&t=2178s |time=36:18 |language=ta |access-date=25 May 2022 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Kinathukadavu]], [[Coimbatore District|Coimbatore]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| alma_mater = [[PSG College of Arts and Science]]
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter}}
| years_active = 2015{{endash}}present
| known_for = ''[[Lokesh Cinematic Universe]] (2019 - present)
}}
'''Lokesh Kanagaraj''' ({{IPAc-en|l|oʊ|k|eɪ|ʃ|_|k|ʌ|n|ʌ|ɡ|ʌr|ɑː|dʒ}}) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in [[Tamil films]]. He started his career with a short film in the 2016 anthology ''[[Aviyal (2016 film)|Aviyal]].'' He later directed his first feature film ''[[Maanagaram]]'' (2017). He also created the [[Lokesh Cinematic Universe]] franchise with his films [[Kaithi (2019 film)|''Kaithi'']] (2019) and [[Vikram (2022 film)|''Vikram'']] (2022). His upcoming film, [[Leo (2023 Indian film)|''Leo'']] (2023)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-31 |title=Vijay and Lokesh Kanagaraj's film Thalapathy 67 officially announced |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/vijay-and-lokesh-kanagaraj-s-film-thalapathy-67-officially-announced-172676 |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref> marks his second collaboration with [[Vijay (actor)|Vijay]] after [[Master (2021 film)|''Master'']] (2021).<ref>{{Cite web |title=MASTER |url=https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/master-11 |website=[[Australian Classification Board]] |quote=Master is an action film from India about a professor, JD, who is sent to teach at a juvenile reform school for three months.}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Lokesh Kanagaraj was born in [[Kinathukadavu]], [[Coimbatore district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref>{{Cite interview |last1=Kanagaraj |first1=Lokesh |interviewer=Subha J Rao |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/interview-lokesh-kanagaraj-kaithi-karthi-narain-vijay-bigil-deepavali-release/ |title=Lokesh Kanagaraj Interview: Kaithi Is About A Father's Love And That Rare Bond Between Strangers |work=Silverscreen India |date=22 October 2019 |access-date=6 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref> In [[PSG College of Arts and Science]], he majored in Fashion Technology before pursuing an [[MBA]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/a-celebration-of-cinema-and-filmmaking/articleshow/57716953.cms |title=A celebration of cinema and filmmaking |last1=Sangeetha |first1=P |date=19 March 2019 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> He did his schooling in Palanayiammal Matric Hr. Sec. School Kalliyapuram, Pollachi.<ref>{{Cite AV media |title='தளபதி-64' பத்தி இப்போ கேட்காதீங்க - Lokesh Kanagaraj {{!}} Kaithi {{!}} Thalapathy 64 |language=ta |trans-title=Don't ask about 'Thalapathy-64' now: Lokesh Kanagaraj {{!}} Kaithi {{!}} Thalapathy 64 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxDVH8KFEU4 |access-date=27 January 2021 |work=Open Pannaa |via=[[YouTube]] |time={{time needed|date=June 2022}}}}</ref> He is an ex-bank employee. He pursued his passion towards film making by participating in a corporate short film competition. The judge of the competition was [[Karthik Subbaraj]]. Impressed with his short film, he encouraged Lokesh to pursue a directorial career making films.<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=முதல் படத்திலேயே முத்திரை பதித்த இளம் இயக்குநர்களுடன் ஒரு உரையாடல் {{!}} சினிமா18 |language=ta |trans-title=A conversation with young directors who made their mark with their first film {{!}} Cinema18 |work=News 18 Tamil Nadu |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PldzJwTfcyY |time={{time needed|date=November 2022}}|access-date=25 January 2021|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

== Career ==
In 2016, his [[short film]], ''Kalam'', was included in the [[anthology film]], ''[[Aviyal (2016 film)|Aviyal]]'', produced by [[Karthik Subbaraj]].<ref name=FootnoteD>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/maanagaram-director-lokesh-kanagaraj/article17433550.ece |title=The lives of others |last=Anantharam |first=Chitra Deepa |date=9 March 2017 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=14 April 2019}}</ref> In 2017, he made his directorial feature debut with the hyperlink film, ''[[Maanagaram]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sify.com/movies/maanagaram-opens-big-on-march-10-imagegallery-kollywood-qixjC9fhdebbh.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307023115/http://www.sify.com/movies/maanagaram-opens-big-on-march-10-imagegallery-kollywood-qixjC9fhdebbh.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 March 2017 |title=Maanagaram- Opens big on March 10 |website=[[Sify]] |language=en}}</ref> In late 2018, he began working on a film for [[Dream Warrior Pictures]], the same production company behind ''[[Maanagaram]]''.<ref name=FootnoteA>{{cite news |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/no-heroine-karthis-next-lokesh-kanagaraj-93429 |title=No heroine in Karthi's next with Lokesh Kanagaraj |date=15 December 2018 |publisher=[[The News Minute]] |access-date=14 April 2019}}</ref> With [[Karthi]] in the lead role, the action-thriller was titled ''[[Kaithi (2019 film)|Kaithi]]''.<ref name=FootnoteH>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/kaithi-will-showcase-karthis-potential-as-a-versatile-actor-lokesh-kanagaraj/articleshow/68356094.cms |title=Kaithi will showcase Karthi's potential as a versatile actor: Lokesh Kanagaraj |date=11 March 2019 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=14 April 2019}}</ref>

His next after ''[[Kaithi (2019 film)|Kaithi]]'' was the action-drama film, ''[[Master (2021 film)|Master]]'', starring [[Vijay (actor)|Vijay]] and [[Vijay Sethupathi]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/team-thalapathy-64-off-to-delhi-second-schedule-shoot-begins-6098388/ |title=Team Thalapathy 64 arrives in Delhi; second schedule begins |date=1 November 2019 |website=[[The Indian Express]] |language=en |access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref>
It was released on 13 January 2021, a day before the [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal festival]]. It opened to mostly positive reviews and emerged as a commercial success. ''Master'' was the [[List of Indian films of 2021|highest grossing Indian film of 2021]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/box-office/2021-top-grossers-tamil-nadu-thalapathy-vijays-master-tops-986378 |title=2021 Top grossers in Tamil Nadu – Thalapathy Vijay's Master tops |website=[[Pinkvilla]] |date=6 January 2022 |language=en |access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/year-ender-2021-master-to-annaatthe-highest-grossing-tamil-movies-of-2021-4604261.html |title=Year Ender 2021: Master to Annaatthe, Highest-grossing Tamil Movies of 2021 |date=29 December 2021 |language=en |website=[[News18 India|News18]] |access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref>

He then directed ''[[Vikram (2022 film)|Vikram]]'' (2022), starring [[Kamal Haasan]], [[Vijay Sethupathi]], and [[Fahadh Faasil]]. Following the huge success of the film, he is actively creating the [[Lokesh Cinematic Universe]], on the basis of carrying the story forward from ''Kaithi'' and ''Vikram''. His next directorial after ''Vikram'' will be [[Vijay (actor)|Vijay's]] 67th film, ''[[Leo (2023 Indian film)|Leo]]'' and it will be the continuation of the Universe.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} ''Leo'' will also have an English dubbed theatrical release first time for both Lokesh and Vijay as confirmed by the production team.

In 2023, Lokesh announced his plans to quit directing after completing at least 10 films.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-20 |title=Leo director Lokesh Kanagaraj says he has no plans to stay in film industry for long: ‘I will do 10 movies and quit’ |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/leo-director-lokesh-kanagaraj-plans-film-industry-movies-quit-8674334/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{{Pending films key}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
! Notes
! class="unsortable" | Ref.
|-
|2016
|''[[Aviyal (2016 film)|Aviyal]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|Anthology film; Segment: ''Kalam''
|
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Maanagaram]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|
|-
|2018
|''[[Vella Raja]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|Amazon Prime Web Series
|
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Kaithi (2019 film)|Kaithi]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Master (2021 film)|Master]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| [[Cameo appearance]] as a prisoner.
|
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Vikram (2022 film)|Vikram]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2023
|''[[Michael (2023 film)|Michael]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Presenter for the Tamil version
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-03 |title=Sundeep Kishan, Vijay Sethupathi's film Michael gets a release date in February; Check out new poster |url=https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/south/sundeep-kishan-vijay-sethupathis-film-michael-gets-a-release-date-in-february-check-out-new-poster-1205405 |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=[[Pinkvilla]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=2023-01-23 |title=Interview: Sundeep Kishan says the gangster drama movie 'Michael' has changed him as an actor and a person |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/actor-sundeep-kishan-on-his-new-movie-michael-which-will-release-in-multiple-languages/article66416524.ece |access-date=2023-01-23}}</ref>
|-
|{{pending film|[[Leo (2023 Indian film)|Leo]]}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|Post-Production
|
|}

== Accolades ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|'''Ceremony'''
|'''Award Name'''
|'''Movie'''
|'''Status'''
|-
|[[10th Vijay Awards]] || Best Debut Director ||''[[Maanagaram]]''|| {{won}}
|-
|[[Zee Cine Awards Tamil]]||Favourite Director ||''[[Kaithi (2019 film)|Kaithi]]''||{{won}}
|-
|Behindwoods Gold Medals||Best Story & Screenplay||''[[Kaithi (2019 film)|Kaithi]]''||{{won}}
|-
|[[South Indian International Movie Awards]]||Best Director||''[[Master (2021 film)|Master]]''||{{won}}
|-
|Behindwoods Gold Medals 2022||Talent of the Decade - Tamil||''[[Master (2021 film)|Master]]''||{{won}}
|-
|The Galatta Crown 2022||Favourite Director (2020 - 2021)||''[[Master (2021 film)|Master]]''||{{won}}
|-
|Behindwoods Gold Icons||The Blockbuster Directer of the Year||''[[Vikram (2022 film)|Vikram]]''||{{won}}
|-
|Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards 2022||Best Entertainer || ''[[Vikram (2022 film)|Vikram]]''||{{won}}
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|nm7992231}}

{{Lokesh Kanagaraj}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanagaraj, Lokesh}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil screenwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:1986 births]]

Lokesh Kanagaraj - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 16:53, 17 August 2023