Lokesh Kanagaraj Reveals Coolie Suffered Rs 50 Crore Loss Over Censorship Row
Lokesh will soon begin work on a yet-to-be-titled project with Allu Arjun.
Director Lokesh Kanagaraj recently spoke about the censorship hurdles he faced during the release of the Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie. He revealed that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially recommended 35 cuts to grant a 'UA' certificate. However, Lokesh believed these modifications would dilute the film's impact and chose to release it with an 'A' (Adults Only) rating instead.
Addressing the media, he explained: "I was okay with the nine muted words they requested, but not the 35 cuts. The choice was between releasing a complete film with an 'A' certificate or an incomplete one with 'UA' certification. We applied for re-censoring, but they once again recommended the same 35 cuts."
Lokesh further noted that the board deemed the film's themes unsuitable for younger audiences. Standing by his creative vision, the director refused to remove the scenes. However, he admitted this decision came at a steep cost, claiming the film incurred a revenue loss of approximately Rs 40 to Rs 50 crore due to the restricted audience.
Looking ahead, Lokesh will soon begin work on a yet-to-be-titled project with Allu Arjun. He also confirmed that Karthi's Kaithi 2 will go on floors immediately after he completes his film with the Pushpa 2 actor. He also clarified that he walked out of a project that was to co-star Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan due to creative differences.
