Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) has emerged as a distinctive and compelling addition. The latest installment, Leo, starring Vijay, has set the box office ablaze ruling our hearts since its release. However, it has also unveiled intricate connections to its predecessors, Vikram and Kaithi, weaving a complex narrative that spans decades.
Check out the trailer for Leo here:
Leo, Vikram, Kaithi: How are these Lokesh Kanagaraj movies connected?
To truly comprehend the depth of the LCU, one must delve into its chronological timeline. The universe extends back to the 1980s. Vikram introduces us to Kamal Haasan’s character, a former commander of the Black Ops squad’s pilot batch. The events of 1986 set the stage, revealing a botched mission in 1991 that decimated the team. Furthermore, all members of the mission are presumed dead.
Fast forward to Leo, where Vijay’s character, Leo, is revealed to be alive, having faked his death and assumed a new identity. The narrative unfolds in 1999. It involves a tobacco company as a cover for a new drug, family betrayals, and Leo’s emergence from the shadows.
The connections between characters are intricately woven throughout the trilogy. Rolex (Suriya), introduced in Vikram, rises in the underworld around 1992. Dilli (Karthi), imprisoned in 2009, plays a pivotal role in Kaithi. He goes on to join forces with Bejoy to secure seized drugs. The Black Ops head Amar (Fahadh Faasil) discovers Vikram’s true identity. This revelation sets off a chain of events leading to the demise of key characters.
The climax of Leo establishes Leo’s presence in Himachal Pradesh in 2021, with Lokesh leaving the audience questioning Vikram’s location after infiltrating Rolex’s meeting in Mumbai. The conflict between vigilantes and the drug cartel led by Rolex serves as the central thread across the trilogy, reflecting Lokesh’s vision of an “action-packed universe whose heroes are loud about their message towards a drug-free society.”
Check out the trailer for Vikram here:
Future prospects of the LCU: Kaithi 2 and others
As fans eagerly anticipate the expansion of the LCU, Lokesh Kanagaraj has confirmed that his next project with Rajinikanth will be a standalone film, not part of the LCU. However, the filmmaker has exciting plans post-Rajinikanth, with Kaithi 2 on the horizon. Speculations suggest it might serve as a prequel, shedding light on Adaikalam’s connection with Dilli before the events of Kaithi.
Following Kaithi 2, Lokesh is set to helm Rolex, potentially serving as both a prequel to showcase the cartel leader’s rise in the early ’90s and a continuation of the narrative post-Vikram. Sequels for Vikram and Leo are also on the cards, promising a bloodier future for the LCU.
Check out the trailer for Kaithi here:
In conclusion, as Lokesh Kanagaraj gears up for the next phase of the LCU, fans are left with anticipation and excitement, mirroring the filmmaker’s own sentiment of just getting started. The LCU has proven to be a unique and immersive universe, and with the promise of more to come, audiences can’t help but wonder, “Aarambikalangala?” Here’s to hoping that the future of this universe is indeed as thrilling as its past.
