Aug 07, 2026 5:55pm IST
From Lokesh Kanagaraj to Raghava Lawrence: South Indian Directors Who Turned Actors
The trend of South Indian directors transitioning into action stars has become increasingly prominent in Tamil and Telugu cinema. Many filmmakers begin by acting out scenes for their actors on set, gradually developing a commanding screen presence before eventually stepping in front of the camera as leading men or formidable antagonists. Variety India takes a look at some of the directors who successfully made the leap.
Lokesh Kanagaraj: One of Tamil cinema’s most successful filmmakers, Lokesh Kanagaraj makes his acting debut with “DC,” a gritty and violent adaptation of “Devdas.” He made his directorial debut with “Maanagaram” in 2017 before delivering blockbusters such as “Kaithi,” “Master,” “Vikram,” “Leo” and “Coolie.” Following the success of “Kaithi” in 2019, he launched the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), which has since become one of Indian cinema’s most successful shared universes.
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Pradeep Ranganathan: Pradeep Ranganathan has successfully transitioned from directing to leading films. After making his directorial debut with “Comali” in 2019, he wrote, directed and starred in “Love Today” (2022), which became a major commercial success. In 2025, he cemented his position as a bankable action star with the blockbuster “Dragon.”
S. J. Suryah: S. J. Suryah began his career as a filmmaker with romantic hits such as “Vaalee,” “Kushi,” “New” and “Anbe Aaruyire.” He later reinvented himself as a versatile actor, earning acclaim both as a leading man and for memorable antagonist roles in films including “Spyder” (2017) and “Mark Antony” (2023).
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Arjun Sarja: Popularly known as the “Action King” of South Indian cinema, Arjun Sarja has balanced acting with writing, producing and directing throughout his career. He has headlined several patriotic and action films, including “Jai Hind” (1994) in which he played a fearless police officer fighting terrorism. His performance in “Gentleman” (1993) earned him the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor. He was most recently seen in the action thriller “Blast” (2026).
Raghava Lawrence: Raghava Lawrence began his career as a choreographer before moving into direction with films such as “Mass” (2004) and “Don” (2007). He later established himself as one of Tamil cinema’s most bankable stars through the hugely successful “Kanchana” horror-comedy franchise, in which he served as director, writer and lead actor.
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