Latest news with #Kaithi
Pink Villa
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
‘Without Thalapathy Vijay, there won't be LCU': Lokesh Kanagaraj says his cinematic universe needs Leo actor
Director Lokesh Kanagaraj is soon set to hit the big screens with the Rajinikanth starrer Coolie. Ahead of the film's release on August 14, 2025, the filmmaker talked about his cinematic universe and how it would be incomplete without Thalapathy Vijay. Lokesh Kanagaraj on needing Thalapathy Vijay for LCU Talking at a promotional event for Coolie, Lokesh Kanagaraj said, 'Without him (Thalapathy Vijay), LCU doesn't exist. However, I don't know whether he will be a part of it now. If you wish to know about that, you have to ask him yourself.' 'We all know what his vision is today. For the sake of my film, I don't think it's the right time to discuss such matters. Any given day, without Thalapathy Vijay, LCU will not be fulfilled,' he added. Why is Thalapathy Vijay important for LCU? For those unaware, LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe) is the series of interconnected films created by filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj. The universe, which started with Karthi starrer Kaithi, was expanded into other worlds, including Kamal Haasan's Vikram (2022) and Thalapathy Vijay's film Leo (2023). With all 3 films integrated into a single narrative, it is set to be expanded further with movies like Benz and Kaithi 2. Moreover, Lokesh also plans to create ventures like Vikram 2, Leo 2, and a standalone spin-off based on Suriya's character Rolex within the universe. However, Thalapathy Vijay is speculated to retire from acting after his alleged last film, Jana Nayagan; turning his focus completely on his political career. While an official confirmation is yet to be made, we'll have to wait and see if the superstar continues to be a part of the LCU. Lokesh Kanagaraj work front Talking about his next project Coolie, starring Rajinikanth in the lead, is an action entertainer. The multistarrer flick, which also features Nagarjuna Akkineni, Upendra Rao, and Aamir Khan, is said to be a standalone venture unrelated to the director's cinematic universe. With Shruti Haasan, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Pooja Hegde (dance number), and more in key roles, the film is musically crafted by Anirudh Ravichander. On the other hand, Thalapathy Vijay's Jana Nayagan is a political drama directed by H Vinoth, is releasing on January 9, 2026.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"Vijay anna is essential for LCU': Lokesh Kanagaraj's statement stirs buzz ahead of ‘Coolie' release
Lokesh Kanagaraj , who has emerged as a leading director in Kollywood, has been fully engaged in the work of the film 'Coolie' for the past two years. As a result, he was away from social media and the media. Now that the film 'Coolie' starrring Rajinikanth in the lead role is set to release in a few weeks, he is back in the thick of promotions and interviews. Lokesh Kanagaraj, who recently attended an event at his college, PSG, in Coimbatore, shared his cinematic journey and also spoke eloquently about LCU. Lokesh says LCU is incomplete without Vijay During the interaction, he delivered a speech saying, "LCU cannot exist without Vijay anna. But he pointed out that it is a matter of course whether Vijay will return to act in LCU or not, and that Vijay's path is currently heading in a different direction (Hinted at the actor's political journey). His statement, which was widely shared on social media, has created a huge impact on Vijay's fans. It has also sparked speculations about whether Vijay will act in LCU again. Lokesh Kanagaraj expands his cinematic universe Lokesh Kanagaraj has been expanding the cinematic universe (LCU) he started with his film 'Kaithi' with films including 'Vikram' and 'Leo'. He has established himself as a unique director by incorporating characters from previous films in each film. Karthi's voice in the film 'Vikram' and Kamal Haasan 's voice in the film 'Leo' were well received by the fans. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like My Brows Look Fuller Looking Now [See Results] NULASTIN Learn More Undo Thus, the news that Kamal Haasan will be appearing in the upcoming film 'Kaithi 2' has raised the expectations of the fans. 'Coolie' set for August 14 release In this case, the film 'Coolie', directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has been developed as a standalone story from LCU. Produced by a leading production house, this pan-Indian film stars Nagarjuna as the main villain with Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, and Shruti Haasan among others in crucial roles. Bollywood actor Aamir Khan is also making a special appearance. The trailer of the film is slated to release on August 2, followed by a grand audio launch, and the film is gearing up for release on August 14.
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Lokesh Kanagaraj To Introduce LCU's First Female Superhero In Kaithi 2? Director Reveals
Last Updated: Lokesh Kanagaraj is planning to have a strong female character as the lead in his future LCU project. The Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) is all set to introduce a powerful female superhero to the franchise. While the universe already has three films: Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo, all headlined by male actors, director Lokesh Kanagaraj is now planning to have a strong female character as the lead in his future project. In an interview with Galatta Plus, Lokesh said, 'I am writing something for actresses, which are kind of new characters to the LCU universe. There will be 2-3 new characters in the LCU, and you will get an update in Kaithi 2." However, the filmmaker did not reveal much about the casting or what the characters will be. Kaithi 2 features Karthi in the lead role. The film's cast also includes Anushka Shetty, Arjun Das and Narain in key roles. Currently, Lokesh Kanagaraj is gearing up for the release of Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie. The film marks the first-ever collaboration between Lokesh and Rajinikanth. The cast is packed with big names like Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj and Shruti Haasan, while Bollywood icon Aamir Khan makes a cameo. Talking about Coolie in a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India, Lokesh said, 'After watching the film in the dubbing studio, he (Rajinikanth) hugged me and said, 'It looked like Thalapathi for me!' That made my day, and that was the night I slept very peacefully after many months. That is what I was telling my friends, too. If at all, I am doing a film with Rajini sir, it has to be somewhere close to Thalapathi." He added, 'I cannot write a film on par with Mani sir's quality, as his film and writing is unmatched… But I get a little satisfaction when we compare that film with this one. Listening to the same words from Rajini sir was an achievement." Lokesh also shared the original idea he had pitched to Rajinikanth before Coolie. He said, 'I loved writing for Rajini sir. I initially wrote a fantasy film for him, and he immediately said okay to it, but assembling it took so much time… it would've taken at least a year and a half to go ahead. You can write anything for the actor because he is larger than life. Even though I have tried a lot of new techniques and styles in the film, it will still be a Rajini sir film. I also don't want to change that." Coolie will be released in theatres on August 14. view comments First Published: July 26, 2025, 15:33 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lokesh Kanagaraj reveals LCU origin: "idea began with Narain's character in ‘Vikram', team had doubts"– Read more
Director Lokesh Kanagaraj shared how his popular Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) began. What started as a small idea while writing Vikram turned into a big crossover of characters and stories from his earlier films. In a recent interview, he explained how the concept came to life. How the idea of the LCU started Director Lokesh Kanagaraj, known for blockbuster films like 'Kaithi', 'Vikram', and 'Leo'. In a recent interview with Galatta Plus ahead of the release of Rajinikanth's 'Coolie', he shared how the idea of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) actually churned. He further explained thar it all began from a small confusion during the planning of Vikram. Lokesh said that when he and Kamal Haasan decided to work together on 'Vikram', he started developing the script. This was after his film 'Master' had released and the COVID-19 lockdown had ended. During the writing process, he came up with a character that reminded him a lot of Narain's role from 'Kaithi'. That's when he got the idea that why not actually bring Narain's 'Kaithi' character into 'Vikram'. At first, his assistant directors didn't agree. They questioned how mixing characters from two different films would even work. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo But Lokesh was confident. He explained to them that both films deal with similar themes, especially the message 'say no to drugs.' He believed that merging the stories would make the message stronger and more interesting. When Lokesh completed the script for 'Vikram', he handed it to Kamal Haasan. Since Kamal sir was not just the actor but also the producer, Lokesh was nervous. But Kamal approved the idea immediately and even praised him for thinking so creatively. Lokesh said that if Kamal hadn't liked the idea, Vikram would have turned out completely different. LCU became a big deal Over time, LCU became a big deal among fans. While only a few actors like Narain, George Maryan, and Maya S Krishnan have had full roles across the films, others like Karthi (as Dilli in 'Vikram') and Kamal (as Vikram in 'Leo') gave voice cameos to keep the universe connected. There are also hints about a sequel to 'Vikram', and actor Suriya has confirmed that a spin-off based on his character Rolex from 'Vikram' is also in the pipeline.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Buxar to hold 3-day workshop on ancient Kaithi script in Aug
Buxar: Aiming at raising awareness about Kaithi and preserve the legacy for future generations, Sitaram Upadhyay Museum, Buxar, and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), Patna Chapter, will jointly organise a three-day training-cum-workshop on the ancient script of Bihar from Aug 2 to 4 here. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Announcing this on Thursday, Sitaram Upadhyay Museum curator Shiv Kumar Mishra said that the registration for the workshop will begin on July 18 at the museum. Participation is limited, and priority will be given to professionals involved in land and legal documentation — such as revenue officials, 'amin', 'kanungo', advocates and bank employees — since the Kaithi script holds significant relevance in land-related matters. Mishra said that the ongoing land survey by the Bihar govt requires reading of historical documents written in Kaithi, a skill that is currently lacking among most stakeholders. This knowledge gap poses challenges in processing land records and obtaining loans based on such documentation. Art and culture officer of Buxar district, Pratima Kumari, said the Kaithi script is a valuable cultural heritage of Bihar. Evidence of the script dates back nearly 1,000 years but from the era of Sher Shah Suri, Kaithi became widely used for land and legal records. Historical figures such as Veer Kunwar Singh and the maharaja of Darbhanga also used the Kaithi script for land deeds. However, in today's context, even advocates and judicial officials often lack the necessary script literacy, complicating legal adjudication of land disputes — one of the most common issues pending in Bihar's courts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now To preserve this valuable linguistic heritage, Mishra and his team have conducted numerous training and awareness programmes across Bihar in cities like Patna, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Nawada and Begusarai. Bihar revenue department has also taken an initiative to train its employees, with two young trainers — Pritam Kumar and Waqar Ahmed — leading the govt sessions across various districts.
