Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan has praised director Lokesh Kanagaraj's films. In a recent interview with Thanthi TV, he said, "I like Lokesh Kanagaraj’s style of filmmaking. I have watched his film Leo." The statement, which has gone viral on social media, reached the ears of the Vikram director.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Lokesh Kanagaraj expressed his gratitude for Pawan Kalyan's words, saying, "It’s truly an honour to hear these words Pawan Kalyan sir. Elated and grateful to know that you’ve loved my work sir. A big thank you." In reply to Lokesh's note, Pawan Kalyan shared, "I genuinely admire your work and am amazed by your exceptional talent, director Lokesh. Watching your craft has always been a great experience, especially in your recent films, Leo and Vikram. The gripping screenplays, character development, and the way you build a connection with viewers are a testament to your phenomenal ability in filmmaking. I look forward to seeing many more exciting projects from your directorial arsenal, particularly from the intriguing film franchise, the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU)."
In the long interview, Pawan Kalyan expressed his admiration for actor Yogi Babu and added that he had seen the actor’s social drama Mandela, directed by Madonne Ashwin. The film was remade in Telugu as Martin Luther King and had a theatrical release in October last year.
Kalyan also spoke about his memories of growing up in Chennai and his relationship with actor-director SJ Suryah. "I love SJ Suryah. Whenever we meet, I only speak to him in Tamil. That’s how I keep my Tamil alive," he said. SJ Suryah had directed Pawan Kalyan in the Telugu remake of the Tamil blockbuster Kushi in 2001.
On the work front, Pawan Kalyan was last seen in Bro (2023), directed by Samuthirakani which was the remake of director's own 2021 Tamil-language film Vinodhaya Sitham. He recently resumed shooting for Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 - Sword Vs Spirit, directed by Jyoti Krisna, which has been on the shooting floor for a long time due to the actor’s political commitments. The makers recently announced that the film will hit the screens on March 28, 2025.
He also has two other films Ustaad Bhagat Singh, directed by Harish Shankar and They Call Him OG, written and directed by Sujeeth, in the pipeline.