Lalit Kumar reacts to Leo mixed reviews - 'We didn't expect this'

Producer Lalit Kumar is now basking in the success of Leo, which stars Thalapathy Vijay in the lead role. The movie made a historic box office debut earlier this week and is going strong in many parts of the country and overseas markets.

However, Leo has also garnered mixed reviews with many calling it director Lokesh Kanagaraj's 'weakest work' yet. Not just the critics, the movie has even divided the public opinion. But, an overwhelming consensus is "the second half was weak."

Leo divides critics and audiences

Addressing the matter of mixed reviews for Leo, Lalit Kumar expressed surprise. He revealed that before the movie's release, he had only seen the first half and was confident of its ability to appeal to all audiences.

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"We didn't expect this," Lalit told Galatta Plus. "It is being said that there is a lag of around 10 minutes in the second half for the audience, but as a film, the last forty minutes will hold its ground."

Many have complained that undeveloped characters, including weak villains and the female protagonist, were some of the biggest turn-offs while watching the movie. While some have managed to forgive the narrative loopholes and enjoyed the high-octane action sequences, great visual style and Vijay's committed performance, some are not willing to cut any slack for Lokesh.

Leo a box office blockbuster

Despite mixed talk and divided critics, Leo is keeping the cash registers ringing. It took the biggest opening of 2023 with over rs 140 crore in worldwide ticket sales. And it's on its way to becoming the biggest-ever hit of the Tamil film industry.

ALSO READ: This senior citizen's review of Leo is golden, goes viral

Directed by Lokesh, Leo is inspired by the world-famous graphic book novel A History of Violence. Besides Vijay, the movie also stars Trisha, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun in the lead roles.