Lokesh Kanagaraj is one of the most sought-after filmmakers in contemporary Tamil cinema. Known for his directional prowess, rich technical values, and music taste, he has delivered a series of box-office hits, beginning with his debut, Maanagaram (2017).
His next venture, Kaithi (2019), is a major commercial success; additionally, it received widespread critical acclaim with praise for its screenplay, direction, performances, and music. Starring Karthi in the lead role, it is considered Kanagaraj’s career-best work.
However, things have taken a u-turn since then. His next release, Master (2021), despite its collections, was completely panned by critics. Next up was Kamal Hassan‘s Vikram (2022), the second installment in the celebrated Lokesh Kanagaraj Universe (LCU). It received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and is considered far inferior to Kaithi (2019).
And his lastest release, Leo (2023), is complete crap, to say the least, and is considered Kangaraj’s worst work to date. Needless to say, the film’s collections are highly exaggerated. One thing that’s noteworthy is that not a single film by Kanagaraj has worked at the Hindi box office or received international acclaim like RRR (2022). In simpler terms, all his flicks were duds outside South India. This leads us to the million-dollar question: Is he overrated? Well, we think he is.
