Lokesh Kanagaraj is an Indian movie director and a screenwriter who makes intense action thriller movies in Tamil cinemas. His movies such as Maanagaram, Kaithi, Master, Vikram, and Leo are famous. Until 2025, he was one of the most successful directors who had his style of telling the story and the establishment of Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). His recent venture, Coolie, in which Rajinikanth is the main star, has caused a great fervor.
In this blog, we are going to know about Lokesh Kanagaraj Movies, Wife, Family, Age, Education and much more.
Lokesh Kanagaraj Biography
Lokesh is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer in the Tamil film industry. He was born on 14 March, 1986 at Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He is famous for directing the movie “Vikram” which is starring Kamal Hasan. His zodiac sign is Pisces and by nationality he is Indian. As of August 2025, his current age is 39 years old.
Here’s a quick profile overview:
| Full Name | Lokesh Kanagaraj |
| Profession | Director, Screenwriter |
| Famous For | Directing Vikram (2022), starring Kamal Haasan |
| Date of Birth | 14 March 1986 |
| Age | 39 Years (As of August 2025) |
| Birthplace | Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Hometown | Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Aishwarya Lokesh |
| Children | Aarudhra Lokesh (Son), Adhvika Lokesh (Daughter) |
Lokesh Kanagaraj Age and Physical Attributes
Lokesh was born on 14 March, 1986 and is 39 years old as of August, 2025. His zodiac sign is Pisces. He has a height of 5 Feet 9 inches. Lokesh is a medium-built person of a strong and confident look.
| Age | 39 |
| Zodiac sign | pisces |
| Height | 5′ 9″ (175 cm) |
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lbs) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
Lokesh Kanagaraj Family Background
Lokesh was born into a middle-class family where his dad was a bus conductor and his mother was a homemaker. Lokesh loved cinema since he was a child, but he was interested in academics. He also has three brothers.
| Family Members | Details |
| Father’s Name | Not Disclosed—Worked as a Bus Conductor |
| Mother’s name | Unknown, homemaker |
| Brothers | Aravind Gnanasambandam, Ashwin Venkatesh, Prashanth Gnanasambandam |
Educational Qualification
- Lokesh got early education at Palaniyammal Higher Secondary School in Kalliyapuram, Tamil Nadu.
- He proceeded to be a graduate in Fashion Technology after schooling at PSG College of Arts and Science Coimbatore.
- Subsequently, he received a degree in Master of Business Administration (MBA) through Anna University, Chennai.
Lokesh had no formal training in the field of filmmaking but ended up teaching himself how to direct, drawing inspiration from the movies of Kamal Haasan.
| Level | Institution | Qualification |
| School | Palanayiammal HSS, Kalliyapuram | Higher Secondary Education |
| Graduation | PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore | Degree in Fashion Technology |
| Post-Graduation (PG) | Anna University, Chennai | Master of Business Administration (MBA) |
Lokesh Kanagaraj Wife: Aishwarya Kanagaraj
Aishwarya Kanagaraj is the wife of Lokesh Kanagaraj. They met each other when they were very young, after being in a long relationship, they finally got engaged on 15 September, 2011 after which they married on 8 January, 2012. When Lokesh was in his rough patch and he left his banking job to pursue his passion of being a director in the movies, Aishwarya was fully supportive of him. Even though she had just given birth to their daughter, Adhvika, she went back to work to provide for the family. Lokesh and Aishwarya have two children, a son named Aarudhra and a daughter Adhvika.
| Marriage Date | 8 January 2012 |
| Spouse | Aishwarya Lokesh |
| Children | Aarudhra & Adhvika |
Career (Till 2025)
Lokesh began his career in the corporate sector, serving in a private bank in Chennai for almost five years. Nevertheless, his interest in cinema inspired him to produce short films where he first directed Acham Thavir, which earned him the Best Director Award in a corporate short film challenge. Lokesh was inspired by filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj to quit his job in order to become a filmmaker.
He began his directorial career with the short film titled “Kalam” in the anthology, Aviyal (2016). Maanagaram (2017) became his first full-length film as a director, which was both a critical and commercial success. His biggest breakthrough was in 2019 with Kaithi which featured Karthi and did roaring business and became an immediate hit, exposing the audience to his trademark style of storytelling.
Then the film Master (2021) with Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi, emerged as the top grosser of that year in Tamil. Vikram (2022), a film starring Kamal Haasan, was Lokesh’s greatest success because it broke box office records and officially introduced the Lokesh Cinematic Universe or LCU.
Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU):
Lokesh created an interconnected series of films in Tamil cinema known as the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) by incorporating it in the movies. It was started in Kaithi (2019) and entered the domain in Vikram (2022) and Leo (2023). In both movies, there is immense action, multi-layered personalities, and concealed gags that interconnect the plots. The highlight of the LCU includes its realistic narration, less CGI, and impactful performance of actors, such as Karthi, Kamal Haasan, Vijay, and others.
At the initial stages, the concept of LCU was not presented formally. The fans are the ones who saw the similarities and their contribution led to the naming of it as LCU, which Lokesh subsequently adopted. LCU has risen to prominence in Indian cinemas with its suspenseful plot, gritty visuals, and thrilling stories and because of some of the most exciting cinematic universes.
Lokesh Kanagaraj Upcoming Movie – Coolie – Film Overview (2025)
Coolie is a Tamil language thriller action film written and directed by Lokesh, the Tamil film action movie starring superstar Rajinikanth in the lead role. The film has an impressive star cast consisting of Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, and Shruti Haasan. The cherry on the cake is that Aamir Khan will also have a cameo in the film and Pooja Hegde will also appear in a dance sequence.
Coolie is not a part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), said the leader Lokesh, including the movies Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo. He has stressed that Coolie is a standalone film. He even abandoned social media and a personal life in its creation, saying that there were no family and friends. Just Coolie.” This movie will be the first instance that Lokesh and Rajinikanth are working together and it is projected to be one of the biggest releases in Tamil industry in the year 2025.
Lokesh Kanagaraj Movies
| Year | Film/Project | Role | Remarks |
| 2016 | Kalam (Aviyal) | Short Film Director | Debut in anthology film |
| 2017 | Maanagaram | Director | Critically acclaimed; debut feature film |
| 2019 | Kaithi | Director | Breakthrough film; massive commercial success |
| 2021 | Master | Director, Cameo | Highest-grossing Tamil film of 2021 |
| 2022 | Vikram | Director | Superhit; launched Lokesh Cinematic Universe |
| 2023 | Leo | Director | Part of LCU; reunited with Vijay |
| 2023 | Singapore Saloon | Cameo Appearance | Small appearance in a Tamil film |
| 2025 | Coolie | Director | Standalone movie (Not part of LCU, confirmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj) |
| 2025 | Untitled LCU project | Director/Writer | Under development, continuation of LCU |
Lokesh Awards and Achievements
| Year | Award/Recognition | Category | Film |
| 2017 | Behindwoods Gold Medal | Best Debut Director | Maanagaram |
| 2017 | Vijay Awards (Nominated) | Best Director | Maanagaram |
| 2019 | South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) | Best Director – Tamil | Kaithi |
| 2020 | Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards | Best Screenplay | Kaithi |
| 2020 | Zee Cine Awards Tamil | Best Director | Kaithi |
| 2021 | Filmfare Awards South (Nominated) | Best Director – Tamil | Master |
| 2022 | Lokesh Kanagaraj honored | For Creating the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) | – |
| 2023 | National Film Awards (Special Jury Mention) | Contribution to Tamil Commercial Cinema | Vikram |
| 2023 | Edison Awards | Best Director | Vikram |
| 2024 | Galatta Crown Awards | Most Influential Director of the Year | Leo |
| 2024 | Vikatan Awards | Best Filmmaker | Leo |
Lokesh Kanagaraj Net Worth
- The net worth of Lokesh is estimated to be approximately ₹100 crore as of 2025.
- His wealth largely consists of directing, scripting, and other profit-making arrangements in the Tamil film industry. Blockbuster films such as Kaithi, Master, Vikram and Leo have made Lokesh one of the highest-paid directors in India.
- According to sources, Lokesh takes 50 to 60 crores per major project and his upcoming film Coolie is going to earn him one of the highest pay cheques.
- Along with movies, Lokesh also has high-end cars, a Lexus ES 300h (a gift from Kamal Haasan) and a BMW 7 Series.
- He also owns properties in Chennai and his native place, Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore.
- Lokesh has also ventured into film production with the banner G Squad, further increasing his net worth.
| Category | Details |
| Estimated Net Worth | ₹100 crore approx. |
| Per Film Remuneration | ₹50–₹60 crore |
| Main Income Sources | Film Direction, Screenwriting, Production |
| Luxury Cars | Lexus ES 300h, BMW 7 Series |
| Properties | Chennai & Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore |
| Production Company | G Squad (Producer of Fight Club, Chapter Zero, Benz) |
Social Media Profile
Lokesh is rather active on social media and he posts information concerning his movies and personal life to his fans.
| Platform | Handle | Followers (Approx.) |
| @lokesh.kanagaraj | 2.8 Million | |
| Twitter/X | @Dir_Lokesh | 2.7 Million |
Recent News or Controversies
Lokesh faced a serious drawback in September 2024: a leaker published an action sequence with Nagarjuna in Cooliewas. Moments after the video went viral, he released a powerful message on how disappointed he was and how the fans should not share the video because they were jeopardizing the work of the entire team. Not long after, it was rumored that Coolie may have a time bending twist causing further speculation of any connection with the earlier movies of Lokesh. But he has made it clear that Coolie is a different project on its own and does not fall in his Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) with Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo.
Lokesh confirmed in July 2025 to have been paid a 50 crores fee to direct Coolie, which had a colossal budget of 350 crores. This song, “Monica” made in the movie, brought a frenzy in itself as well because it had a dance bit performed by Pooja Hegde. A backstage video posted by the choreographer Sandy Master became viral, and a wink of the actor Soubin Shahir contributed to all the noise. Also the actor Sanjay Dutt expressed his displeasure publicly on his role being minimally in Leo. Lokesh took the criticism in a mature way and this is what he called a lesson and retained a professional attitude.
Summary Table
| Timeline | News / Controversy | Details |
| Sep 2024 | Leaked scene from Coolie | Nagarjuna’s action sequence leaked. Lokesh called it a serious blow to months of hard work and urged fans not to circulate it. |
| Jul 2025 | Lokesh’s ₹50 crore director fee | Lokesh confirmed reports and mentioned Coolie’s high production value with a ₹350 crore budget. |
| Jul 2025 | Viral “Monica” dance number | A song featuring Pooja Hegde went viral; a behind-the-scenes video by Sandy Master and a playful moment from Soubin Shahir drew fan excitement. |
| Jul 2025 | Coolie’s LCU status clarified | Lokesh confirmed the film is standalone and unrelated to his previous universe (Kaithi, Vikram, Leo). |
| Jul 2025 | Sanjay Dutt’s remarks on Leo role | Dutt expressed he was underused in Leo; Lokesh responded respectfully and took the feedback positively. |
Conclusion
Lokesh, as a film director, is a self-made person, who has changed from a banker to a rampaging filmmaker. He has, without any formal background in movie making carved a niche of his own in the industry. Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) created by him has changed the idea of action movies in India. The fact that Lokesh keeps churning out blockbusters leaves no doubt at all that he is one of the most promising filmmakers of his generation.
FAQs
A1. He is 39 years old as of 2025.
A2. His debut feature film was Maanagaram (2017).
A3. Yes, he is married and his wife is Aishwarya Lokesh.
A4. LCU is a shared universe of action films including Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo directed by Lokesh.
A6. As of 2025, he has a net worth of Rs. 100 Crores and have luxury cars.