Just days after saying he would stay away from acting until his divorce with wife Aarti Ravi is finalized, Tamil actor Ravi Mohan has been announced as the latest member of filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ever-expanding cinematic universe. The filmmaker announced that Mohan has joined his next film, Benz.

Ravi Mohan joins LCU after quitting acting

Lokesh officially welcomed Ravi Mohan on Sunday BenzSharing pictures from the shooting of the film, the next installment of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), aka BTS. Given Ravi’s recent emotional comments about taking time off from work amid his ongoing personal struggles, the announcement immediately caught the attention of fans.

Sharing the update on X, Lokesh wrote, “Welcome to the universe @iam_RaviMohan sir (sic),” along with heart and hug emojis. Lead actor Raghav Lawrence also welcomed Ravi to the project, posting with a fire emoji and the hashtag, “Happy to welcome you brother @iam_RaviMohan (sic).” Benz.

Watch the announcement here:

Why are fans confused?

The casting announcement sparked discussion online, with some fans wondering if Ravi had reconsidered his earlier decision to stop acting. Others expressed concern about his well-being after a difficult few months in his personal life.

Earlier this month, singer and spiritual healer Kenisha Francis revealed that she is leaving Chennai and appeared to hint at separation from Ravi. He said that constant cyberbullying had influenced his decision, adding that a social media account belonging to him was allegedly hacked and that he had also been attacked online after posting inappropriate comments about Ravi’s estranged wife Aarti Ravi.

Soon after, Ravi addressed the media in an emotional press conference, where he cried while discussing the impact of the ongoing controversy.

He had said, “I will not take action until I get a divorce. Whenever I get a divorce, my life will become normal again. Whenever this cyberbullying stops, I will come back.”

Referring to Kenisha, he said, “You have sent off Kenisha. I wish her a good life.”

Why is Ravi Mohan’s personal life in the headlines?

Ravi and Aarti married in 2009. The actor announced their separation in 2024 after moving out of their shared house, and the divorce proceedings are currently going on in the Chennai Family Court.

Kenisha, who had long maintained that she was only Ravi’s friend and therapist, was later seen attending public events with the actor. The two were seen together in matching outfits at a wedding and often feature in each other’s social media posts.

Earlier this month, Kenisha wrote, “I came into this story with love. I came out of it with silence,” a message many interpreted as confirmation of the breakup.

All about Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU)

Ravi Mohan’s latest professional move places him in one of the most successful franchises of Tamil cinema. LCU currently includes kathy (2019), Vikram (2022) and leo (2023), all connected through a larger narrative centered on drug cartel networks.

While Lokesh had directed the previous films of the franchise. Benz It is being directed by Bakkiaraj Kannan. The film stars Raghava Lawrence in the lead role, while Nivin Pauly plays the villain.