Lokesh Kanagarj’s full-cycle moment: Once a bus conductor’s son, now directing one
Director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s upcoming film, ‘Cooli’, has done Rajinikanth in the lead role. Before the release of the film, let us take a look at the inspirational story of the filmmaker, without formal training, managed to direct some of the great people of Tamil cinema.
In short
- Lokesh Kanagaraja, son of a bus conductor, directed Rajinikanth in ‘Cooli’
- Lokesh Banks increased without formal training for Tamil film director.
- The film is a tribute to Lokesh’s father, who has facilities in the bus conductor badge number ‘Cooli’.
There is a poetic way to surprise you at unexpected times in life. And for director Lokesh Kanagaraja, both life and career have come in the full cycle, surprising them alone. Once the son of a bus conductor, he is now getting ready for the release of ‘Cooli’ starring superstar Rajinikanth. If you do not see the connection, we write it for you.
His journey in life and career went to direct one as the son of a bus conductor – Rajinikanth, who worked as a bus conductor before entering films – in ‘Cooli’, which would be a hit in theaters on August 14. A person who has directed only five films to take his sixth to his sixth place with one and only Thalaor.
Vijay, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, Lokesh Kanagaraja have come a long way for a director with no formal training to direct the legends of Tamil cinema. And his career himself is nothing short of an interesting script – he who inspires you, leaves a smile on your face and hangs you for hope.
Humble start
Lokesh Kanagarj was like one of us – a middle class man with ambition. Born in Kininathukdavu in Coimbatore, he was the son of a bus conductor. After studying fashion technology at PSG College of Arts and Science, Lokesh completed his MBA and worked as a banker. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for filmmaking.
While working in the bank, he participated in a corporate short film competition and earned praise from judges. This inspiration further increased her dreams of becoming a filmmaker. Lokesh still did not feel the need to work as formal training or assistant director. He believed in him.
Lokesh Kangraj directed two short films, ‘Acham Thavi’ and ‘Kalam’ before making her debut as a full director. His short film ‘Kalam’ was added to Karthik Subbaraj’s ‘Avian’ in an anthology, which won critical praise.
This was Lokesh’s calling card to break up in the film industry.
arrival
After ‘Aviyal’, director Lokesh Kanagaraj made his debut in 2017 as a feature film director with ‘Managaram’. The film and its success became his calling card in the industry. The film, which followed a non-legend, gave birth to a fresh visual language in Tamil cinema.
Two years later, Lokesh helped Karthi’s ‘Kathy’, which took the ‘Bigil’ of Vijay’s ‘Bigil’ on Diwali in 2019. Despite ‘Bigil’s brilliant run,’ Kathy ‘made an impression. Its unprecedented success talked about the much -awaited and LCU – Lokesh Cinematic Universe. The film installed him with a different voice as a filmmaker that can entertain the audience without following conservative elements.
‘Kathy’s success opened the doors to him, which would have taken other years. He joined hands with Thalapathi Vijay, one of the famous stars in Tamil cinema. Both joined hands for ‘Master’, a standalone project. The great budget entertainer united Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi in a film in a film, which shook the box office. ‘Master’ was a film that showed Vijay as an alcoholic, a morally flawed character.
Exactly one year later, Lokesh Kanagarj used ‘Vikram’ with the second installment Kamal Haasan in LCU. The film ended as one of the highest grossing films and the box office records disintegrated. Each film and its success demonstrated not only in the context of the scale, but also with the ability to work with the superstar, but also their vision and their development.
Full cycle moment
As an enthusiastic fan of Kamal Haasan, ‘Vikram’ was a milestone film. But the monumental reach of the film took him a step near Rajinikanth. In 2024, Lokesh joined hands with Thalaor – and his life actually came into the full cycle. Rajinikanth worked as a bus conductor in Bangalore Transport Service before taking his break in cinema. Here was the son of a bus conductor, Lokesh, who was now directing the most famous bus conductor-barren-sabstar in Indian cinema history.
At the audio launch of ‘Coolie’, Lokesh had an interesting story to tell – one whom he was holding close to his heart. So he could tell it to fans.
In one of the posters of ‘Coolie’, Rajinikanth caught a badge with the number of 1421. Recalling the story around the badge, Lokesh said that Rajinikanth asked him about the importance of the number and whether it was related to the film. “I told him that this was my father’s badge number and he was a bus conductor. Rajinikanth sir asked me,” Why didn’t you tell me that your father was a conductor? ” ,
Moving forward, he said, “I waited to ask me after noticeing it, so it will become a memorable moment. ‘Cooli’ is a tribute to my father.”
Lokesh Kanagaraja’s journey to directing the son of a bus conductor is not just a success story – it is a reminder that in someone’s life, the most compelling stories often begin in the most minor places. And if we are lucky, then we walk on the way with many legends who used to walk on a similar way earlier.
