Lokesh Kanagaraj is an Indian film director and screenwriter working in the Tamil entertainment industry. He gained recognition after directing the 2019 blockbuster Kaithi.
Wiki/Biography
Lokesh Kanagaraj was born on Friday, 14 March 1986 (age 37 years; in 2023) in Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. His zodiac sign is Pisces. Lokesh grew up in a middle class family. He completed his schooling at Palanayiammal Higher Secondary School, Kalliyapuram, Tamil Nadu. She enrolled herself in PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, where she pursued her studies in fashion technology. Lokesh completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Anna University, Chennai.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 9″
Weight (approx): 75 kg
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Lokesh Kanagaraj (right) with Indian actor Kamal Haasan
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father is a bus conductor. He has three brothers, Aravind Gnanasambandam, Ashwin Venkatesh, and Prashanth Gnanasambandam
Wife & Children
On 8 January 2012, Lokesh got married to Aishwarya Lokesh. On September 15, 2011, the couple got engaged. Lokesh and Aishwarya have two children, a daughter, Adhvika Lokesh, and a son Aarudhra Lokesh.
Career
While completing his studies, Lokesh developed an interest in filmmaking. Before embarking on a career as a filmmaker, Lokesh worked in a private bank in Chennai for almost five years. Later, he got an opportunity to participate in the corporate short film competition Clubace Short Film Festival, where Indian director Karthik Subbaraj was invited as a judge. Lokesh entered the competition with his short film Acham Thavir; the film won him the Best Director award at the competition. Impressed by her directing abilities, Karthik advised and encouraged her to pursue a career as a filmmaker. Lokesh, who never received any formal training in film direction, learned the concept of direction by watching his idol Kamal Haasan’s films. As a result, he quit his job and stepped into the film industry as a director and writer.
Movie
In 2016, Lokesh made his debut as a director and writer with the short film Kalam, which was part of the anthology film Aviyal; this film consists of four short films.
Aviyal (2016) anthology movie poster
In 2017, he directed his first film Maanagaram, which became a commercial success at the box office.
Poster of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s debut feature film Maanagaram (2017)
In 2019, Lokesh rose to fame after he directed the action thriller Kaithi with Karthi in the lead role; the film was nominated for the Best Director Award at the South Indian International Film Awards.
Lokesh Kanagaraj (right) while directing the film Kaithi (2019)
His next directorial venture is Master, which hits theaters in 2021, starring Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi; the film became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2021. In 2022, Lokesh directed the action thriller Vikram, starring Kamal Haasan, which was a huge success at the box office.
Lokesh Kanagaraj on the sets of Vikram (2022)
In 2023, he directed the film Leo, which was actor Vijay’s second collaboration with Lokesh after 2021’s Master.
Award
- 2018: Best Debut Director Award for the film Maanagaram at the 10th Vijay Awards
- 2020: Favorite Director Award for the movie Kaithi at Zee Cine Awards Tamil
- 2021: Favorite Director Award for Masters of film at the Galatta Crown Awards
- 2022: Talent of the Decade Award at the 8th Edition of the Behindwoods Gold Medal Award for his contribution to the Tamil film industry
Indian cricketer Suresh Raina presents Decade Talent Award to Lokesh Kanagara at Behindwoods Gold Medal Awards for Lokesh’s contribution to the Tamil film industry
- 2022: Best Director Award for Film Master at South India International Film Awards
Car Collection
Happy with the success of the film Vikram (2022), Kamal Haasan gifted Lokesh a luxury car Lexus ES 300h.
Lokesh Kanagaraj poses with his new Lexus car, gifted to him by Indian actor Kamal Haasan.
Facts/Trivia
- Lokesh created the film franchise, Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), which is a co-universe of Tamil action thrillers, directed by him; the name was suggested by Lokesh’s fans and Lokesh agreed to name it LCU.
- In an interview, Lokesh stated that one of his favorite Indian actors is Kamal Haasan, and that he was greatly influenced by him since childhood. He went on to say that he was so obsessed with Kamal that he questioned his mother why she didn’t name him Vikram because Kamal Haasan’s film Vikram (1986) was released the same year Lokesh was born.
- In 2014, his short film Customer Delight won the Best Short Film Award at the All India Corporate Film Competition.
- On 16 March 2017, Lokesh was invited as a judge at the AVTAR (Amateur Visualizers Talents Awards and Recognitions) film festival, held at Dr GR Damodaran Science College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
- In 2021, Lokesh made a brief appearance in his directorial film Master.
Lokesh Kanagaraj in a still from the movie Master (2021)
- The 2023 Bollywood film Bholaa is an adaptation of Lokesh’s Tamil film Kaithi (2019).
- In 2023, Lokesh made a cameo appearance in the Tamil film Singapore Saloon.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
