Lokesh Cinematic Universe: Actor Thalapathy Vijay and director Lokesh Kanagarajs film Leo has stormed the box office, drawing attention for its star-studded cast, Anirudh Ravichanders musical brilliance, and Lokeshs impressive track record.What sets it apart, however, is its place within the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), an intricately woven tapestry that deserves closer examination.The Macroscopic and the Structural: A Time-Jumping NarrativeAt a macroscopic level, it may seem like the LCU encompasses the events of three films – Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo. Yet, when we delve into the structural intricacies, we find that this story stretches back as far as the 1980s, requiring a chronological understanding of these unfolding events.LCU: Journey so farIn Vikram, we learn about Vikram (Kamal Haasan), the former commander of the Black Ops squads pilot batch. This leads us to the events of the 1986 film Vikram. Following a failed mission in 1991, the entire team was presumed dead. Rolex (Suriya) reveals in Vikram that it took him 27 years to establish his name. With the films events occurring in 2019, this places his rise in the underworld around 1992.Leo takes us to 1999, where Antony Das (Sanjay Dutt) heads the Das and Co. tobacco company, which conceals Datura, a new drug created by his brother Harold Das (Arjun). That year, Antonys daughter Elisa (Madonna Sebastian) is attacked, and his son Leo (Vijay) is presumed dead. Its later revealed that Leo adopted a new identity, Parthiban, relocated to Himachal Pradesh, and started a new life with Sathya (Trisha). In 2009, Dilli (Karthi) is imprisoned and subsequently released in 2019.The events in Kaithi introduce Dilli, who was imprisoned and subsequently released in 2019. The same night, chaos unfolds, involving ACP Prabhanjan (Kalidas Jayaram), Anbu (Arjun Das), and Adaikalam (Harish Uthaman). Following this, Vikram infiltrates the scene, providing a glimpse of Rolex.Leo revolves around Parthiban, whose life takes a complicated turn in 2021, leading to a showdown with Antony and Harold. Parthiban, also known as Leo, receives a call from Vikram, signalling the full functionality of their vigilante team.Essence of LCUWhile the LCU films provide action-packed entertainment, they share a common thread – the clash between a group of vigilantes and a ruthless drug cartel led by Rolex. According to Lokesh, the LCU represents an action-packed universe where heroes vocally champion a drug-free society.Future of LCULokesh shared that after his upcoming standalone project with Rajinikanth, hell commence shooting Kaithi 2, possibly a prequel explaining Adaikalams earlier connection with Dilli.Following this, Rolex might serve as a prequel, exploring the cartel leaders rise in the early 90s and his plans post-Vikram. Sequels for Vikram and Leo are also on the horizon.Much has unfolded within these three films, but it appears Lokesh is just beginning. As fans of the LCU eagerly anticipate the future, its like we can almost hear him ask, Ready to begin
