Lokesh Kangaraj breaks his silence on Sanjay Dutt's claims of 'wasting' him in Leo: 'It's all learning ...'

Economic Times

10 hours ago

Synopsis
Sanjay Dutt expressed his disappointment with Lokesh Kanagaraj for his role in 'Leo,' prompting the director to acknowledge a potential misstep in character development. Kanagaraj admitted to learning from mistakes and aims to offer Dutt a more substantial role in the future. Despite Dutt's initial jest, 'Leo' achieved significant box office success, becoming a major commercial blockbuster.
Agencies
Sanjay Dutt voiced his dissatisfaction with the way his character was portrayed in Leo, leading director Lokesh Kanagaraj to admit that there may have been shortcomings in the character's development. Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt created quite a stir when he recently revealed he was miffed with 'Leo' director Lokesh Kangaraj for underutilising him in the Tamil action drama. In a recent interview, the filmmaker broke his silence on the allegations.
In a candid chat with The Hollywood Reporter , the director admitted they made a 'mistake' when writing the role for the actor. 'I am not a genius or some greatest filmmaker in the world to not do something that may dip other characters. I've made so many mistakes in my films. It's all learning, no? So, yeah, I'll probably do one of the best roles with Sanjay Dutt, sir.'
However, he also stated that the actor had called him after the interview and explained that the comment was made in jest, but the media had given a different spin to his words. 'He called me after that immediately, and he said, 'I made a comment very funnily, but people just cut it and put it. It looks so awkward, and I didn't mean it, Loki. I said, 'No problem, sir,'' he told the magazine. For the unversed, recently the 'Munna Bhai MBBS' star hit back at the director for not making his role in 'Leo' meaty. In a press interaction in Chennai, he said, 'I am angry at Lokesh because he did not give me a big role. He wasted me.'Kanagaraj's next directorial venture, Coolie, is gearing up to be one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year. The film features superstar Rajinikanth in the central role, generating massive buzz among fans. Joining him is a diverse ensemble cast that includes Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Reba Monica John, Junior MGR, and Monisha Blessy. Coolie is scheduled for a grand theatrical release on August 14.Leo (promoted as Leo: Bloody Sweet) is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language action thriller helmed by director Lokesh Kanagaraj. Developed under the banner of Seven Screen Studio, the film serves as the third entry in the expanding Lokesh Cinematic Universe. Drawing partial inspiration from the Hollywood movie A History of Violence, the film casts Vijay in the lead role, supported by a robust lineup including Sanjay Dutt, Arjun, Trisha, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Mysskin, Madonna Sebastian, George Maryan, Mansoor Ali Khan, Priya Anand, and Mathew Thomas.The narrative centers around Parthi, a seemingly modest and peace-loving individual who becomes the target of two menacing gangsters, Antony (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold Das. They strongly believe that Parthi is actually Leo, Antony's long-lost son, who was believed to be dead. What follows is a gripping, high-stakes cat-and-mouse game packed with intense action, emotional turmoil, and a search for truth buried under years of secrecy.Leo hit cinemas worldwide on October 19, 2023, releasing in both regular and IMAX formats. Critical response was mixed—while Vijay's performance earned widespread applause along with appreciation for the film's technical brilliance and well-executed action scenes, the writing was met with divided opinions and some criticism.Despite the varied reviews, the film shattered multiple box office milestones for Tamil cinema. It became the second-largest Tamil hit of 2023, the third-highest-grossing Tamil film ever made, and ranked as the seventh top-grossing Indian film of that year. It also secured the title of the most successful Tamil film internationally and achieved the highest box office numbers ever recorded in Tamil Nadu. By the end of its theatrical run, Leo had raked in an astounding Rs 595 crore globally, cementing its place as a major commercial blockbuster.