Lokesh Kanagaraj has passed on his winning streak from directorials to now his acting debut DC. The action-thriller, directed by Arun Matheswaran, has breached the Rs 100 crore mark globally in just two weeks of its release, thanks to rave reviews from social media users and critics. who have been hailing his performance and Arun's screenplay in the film.
Upon its release on August 7, DC earned nearly Rs 5 crore which increased gradually as word-of-mouth reviews spread. In just five days, the movie surpassed the Rs 50 crore milestone. Besides audiences, celebrities including Suriya, directors Soundarya Rajinikanth and Vignesh Shivan, Telugu stars Mahesh Babu and Allu Arjun, among others appreciated DC for its craft.
The story of DC follows an outcast, named Devadas (Lokesh Kanagaraj), who fights to keep an innocent family safe after they become police brutality victims. At the same time, he and his compatriots get away from a ruthless police officer, finding justice and redemption and forming unlikely connections during their journey. The film has also been praised widely for its unique and engaging 15-track album from composer Anirudh.
Besides Lokesh, Wamiqa Gabbi and Sanjana Krishnamoorthy play female leads. Aadukalam Naren, Thalaivasal Vijay and Kasthuri Raja also play key roles.
DC marks Arun's fourth directorial after Rocky (2021), Saani Kaayidham (2022), and Captain Miller (2024). Produced by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Picutres banner, DC has cinematography by Mukesh G, editing by GK Prasanna, and stunt choreography by PC Stunts.
Before starring in DC, Lokesh Kanagaraj built a stellar box office track record as a director. While his debut directorial Maanagaram (2017) became a critically-acclaimed hit with Rs 10-15 crore in revenue, his second film Master (2021) with Vijay soared to over Rs 130+ crore in collections. He spearheaded his popular Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) with Kaithi (2019), Vikram (2022) and Leo (2023), all three of which were blockbusters at the box office. He last directed Coolie with Rajinikanth, which was released last year.