Lokesh Kanagaraj Reacts To Sanjay Dutt’s ‘Wasted’ Remark In Leo: 'I Am Not A Genius'

Filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj has finally broken his silence on Sanjay Dutt’s recent comment expressing dissatisfaction over his brief role in the 2023 action drama 'Leo', headlined by Thalapathy Vijay. Dutt had cheekily remarked that he was “angry” with Lokesh for “wasting” him in the film — a statement that quickly caught fire online. Now, the director has addressed the issue, revealing how the veteran actor clarified things personally.

Lokesh says Sanjay Dutt’s remark was taken out of context

In a conversation with THR India, Lokesh said that Sanjay Dutt had personally reached out to him after the quote made headlines. “No, he called me after that immediately, and he said, ‘I made a comment very funnily, but people just cut it and put it. It looks so awkward, and I didn’t mean it, Loki’. I said, ‘No problem, sir’,” the filmmaker recalled.

While clarifying there were no hard feelings, Lokesh did take a moment to reflect on the criticism. “Probably, I would’ve done. I am not a genius or some greatest filmmaker in the world to not do something which may dip other characters. I’ve done so many mistakes in my films. It’s all learning, no? So, yeah, I’ll probably do one of the best roles with Sanjay Dutt, sir,” he added.

What Sanjay Dutt had said

The Munna Bhai MBBS actor, who played the antagonist Antony Das in 'Leo', made the now-viral remark during promotional interviews for his upcoming Kannada actioner 'KD – The Devil', alongside co-stars Shilpa Shetty and Dhruva Sarja.

Speaking about his experience working on 'Leo', Dutt said, “I loved working with Thalapathy Vijay. I am angry at Lokesh because he did not give me a big role. He wasted me.”

In the same interaction, Dutt also spoke about his admiration for South Indian cinema legends. “I look up to them and learn from them. I have worked with Rajinikanth in multiple movies. He is the most humble person,” he said. He also mentioned his personal bond with Ajith Kumar, calling him a “close friend” and saying he “loves” him.

All eyes on Lokesh’s next: Coolie

Meanwhile, Lokesh is gearing up for the release of his star-studded film Coolie, which features none other than Rajinikanth in the lead. The film also boasts an ensemble cast that includes Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Reba Monica John, Junior MGR, Monisha Blessy and Kaali Venkat. Coolie is set to hit cinemas on August 14, going head-to-head with Ayan Mukerji’s War 2, which stars Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR.

movies