Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Next: Rajinikanth-Kamal Haasan Reunion, ‘Kaithi 2’ Pushed Further

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s latest film ‘Coolie’, featuring superstar Rajinikanth, has sparked mixed reactions. While Rajinikanth’s fans are thrilled with the stylish portrayal of their idol, a section of film lovers feels disappointed, accusing Lokesh of drifting into formula-driven commercial cinema rather than maintaining his reputation as an intelligent storyteller.

Industry watchers note that once a filmmaker experiences the scale of big-star projects and the money that comes with them, it becomes difficult to return to smaller, content-heavy films. That seems to be the case with Lokesh, who has been postponing Kaithi 2 — the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster that cemented his reputation as a director to watch.

Before Coolie hit screens, Lokesh repeatedly assured fans that Kaithi 2 with Karthi would be his immediate next project. But post-release, reports suggest that he has had a change of heart.

One of the major factors behind Coolie’s hype and huge opening was its all-star lineup, with Nagarjuna Akkineni playing the villain and cameo appearances by Upendra and Aamir Khan. Encouraged by that success, Lokesh is reportedly aiming even higher — this time planning to unite Tamil cinema’s two biggest legends, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, in a single film.

If reports are to be believed, the project will be produced by Kamal Haasan under his banner RKFI. The idea of Rajini and Kamal sharing screen space again is a dream for fans, as the two acted together in several films early in their careers but consciously stayed away from collaborations once they rose to superstardom. Sources say Lokesh has managed to convince them, and the reunion is now on the cards.

Meanwhile, actor Karthi, who has been waiting for Kaithi 2 to begin, has agreed to hold off on the project after Kamal Haasan himself reportedly reached out to explain the situation.