Sanjay Dutt’s ‘wasted me’ remark on Leo gets a thoughtful response from Lokesh Kanagaraj

Lokesh Kanagaraj has broken his silence on Sanjay Dutt’s now-viral statement about feeling “wasted” in Leo, the Thalapathy Vijay-starrer released in October 2023. The director responded with a calm explanation during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, revealing that Sanjay Dutt personally called him after the video began circulating on social media. “Sanjay sir actually called me after that event,” Lokesh said. “He told me, ‘I made a very funny comment, but it got awkward after people cut it and put it on social media.’ I just said, no problem, sir.”

Sanjay Dutt made the original statement during a media interaction at the teaser event for his upcoming film KD – The Devil. While praising his experience working with Thalapathy Vijay, Dutt had said, “I worked with Thalapathy Vijay and I loved working with him. However, I am angry with Lokesh because he didn’t give me a big role. He wasted me.”

Addressing the remark, Lokesh admitted he’s still evolving as a filmmaker. “I’m not a genius or a great filmmaker who wouldn’t write stories that overshadow other characters. I’ve made many mistakes in my films, and I’m still learning,” he said. He also hinted at the possibility of a future collaboration with Sanjay Dutt to balance things out.

Leo was a Tamil-language action thriller inspired in part by A History of Violence. Vijay played Parthiban, a peaceful café owner whose violent past as gangster Leo threatens to resurface after a self-defence incident puts him in the news. Sanjay Dutt played a key antagonist, though fans had expected a more significant presence.

Meanwhile, Lokesh Kanagaraj is now working on Coolie, an action film featuring Rajinikanth. Set against the backdrop of a bustling harbour, the film also stars Nagarjuna Akkineni, Upendra Rao, and has a special cameo by Aamir Khan. Coolie is slated for release on August 14, 2025.

Despite the social media buzz, both Lokesh and Dutt seem to have handled the moment professionally, keeping the door open for future collaborations.