Leo: Did You Know? The Lokesh Kanagaraj Film Was Inspired From Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘THIS’ Movie!

Amitabh Bachchan, the celebrated veteran actor, turned 81 yesterday, and his tenacious presence in the Indian cinema business continues to impact filmmakers. Many people may be surprised to learn that filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj drew inspiration for his next film, ‘Leo’, from Amitabh Bachchan's cinematic history.

Lokesh said in a recent interview with Baradwaj Rangan that the foot-tapping dance number Naa Ready from ‘Leo’ was inspired by his desire to replicate the enchantment of Bachchan's legendary ‘Jooma Chumma De De’ song from the 1990 smash hit, ‘Hum’. He shared this classic reference with composer Anirudh Ravichander, hoping to create a party song that replicates the immortal track's high-octane mood and rhythmic sounds. From a high-energy Amitabh Bachchan just lighting the floor fire to the melody of the pair Laxmikant-Pyarelal, the 1990 hit song is still an iconic piece even after decades.

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Surprisingly, ‘Hum’ provided as inspiration for superstar Rajinikanth's legendary cult flick, ‘Baasha’. ‘Hum’ depicts the story of a guy fleeing his difficult past, a topic that intriguingly parallels Leo's life. Rajinikanth, who portrayed Inspector Kumar Malhotra in the 1990 film, played a key part in it as well.

About ‘Leo’:

According to the teaser, ‘Leo’ centres around Parthi, who is played by the charismatic Thalapathy Vijay. When Parthi becomes the focus of tremendous media attention, his peaceful existence takes an unexpected turn. A gang of thugs persistently pursues him and his family in order to collect old scores, forcing our protagonist to confront his past.

‘Leo’ is said to be based on the graphic novel A History of Violence by John Wagner and Vince Locke, but there will undoubtedly be a Lokesh impact on the film's narrative, making it a one-of-a-kind experience. Lokesh Kanagaraj has opted to keep silent on the film's social implications, deferring his remarks till the film's October 19 premiere.

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Amitabh Bachchan, 81, is still a highly sought-after personality in the Indian cinema business, with more high-budget movies in South Indian languages on the horizon. In a long-awaited reunion, he will appear with Rajinikanth in their upcoming film, tentatively titled ‘Thalaivar 170’. Fans may also expect to see him opposite Kamal Haasan and Prabhas in the upcoming ‘Kalki 2898 AD.’