Lokesh Kanagaraj to direct Rajini-Kamal in ‘Coolie
Lokesh Kanagaraj to direct Rajini-Kamal in
‘Coolie’
Lokesh Kanagaraj is to direct Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan in his upcoming film “Coolie”
Apart from Rajinikanth, the film also features Shruti Haasan, daughter of Kamal Haasan.
Coolie, releases early next year 2025. Two schedules of the project have already been shot. Interestingly, before working with Rajinikanth, Lokesh directed another iconic actor, Kamal Haasan, in the 2022 film Vikram.
The director proudly identifies himself as a fan of Kamal Haasan. Recently, Lokesh shared his thoughts on the differences between directing Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. Lokesh said, that it’s a blessing to collaborate with Kamal and Rajini
It’s a known fact to one and all that everybody are much aware that knows that he is a huge fan of Kamal Haasan. But, he just wants to show what a Kamal fan can do to a Rajini fan. We are fans of all the stars. He is a fan of Kamal and at the same time, he loves Rajini’s films also because he grew up watching his films. So, it was like surreal for him (Lokesh) to direct Rajini, but thinks he is doing a bit well.
About Rajinikanth’s acting approach, Lokesh Kanagaraj describes him as a “director’s actor.” The director shared, “With Rajini’s film, Coolie, that he is doing right now, he has l just completed two schedules, like 50 days plus. But the little experience that he shared with Rajini is that it’s been a process. For the past year, they have been talking, talking, talking. Rajini is a director’s actor. That magic that he brings on screen. There is no difference between off-screen and on-screen sites. He keeps on thinking about the scene and the process. His mind works like what the actor is going to do with the scene when he is going to react this way. He would sit and doesn’t rest, even for the suggestion, where we can cheat someone standing because he says no to everything. He stands for every suggestion.” It is worth noting that Coolie also features Kamal Haasan’s daughter, actress Shruti Haasan.
Talking about Kamal Haasan, Lokesh Kanagaraj noted that before being an actor, he was a technician. Adding that when it comes to Kamal Haasan, it is a completely different school. He himself used to say that more than an actor, he feels that he is a technician first. So, now you see the difference between talking about a scene to a technician and to an actor. So, that is the difference he found between both of them (Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan). When it comes to acting, he can’t explain how it feels. You just have to experience it because in front of saying action, cut to both these living legends – it is always surreal to him.
Lokesh concludes that, when it comes to filmmaking, we have written how the character will react for 2 years at least. When it happens in front of camera, we forget about the actors.
We just watch the characters. So, in that way, these are all little-little observations when he says cut and after that, amidst the shot break, that he used to observe. But, when it comes to on-screen, it is serious business. So, we just see them as characters of the film.”
The tamil film ‘Aviyal” was Lokesh Kanagaraj directorial debut in 2016. He has also directed films Maanagaram, Kaithi, Master and Leo.
News Edit KV Raman
