2023 · Film
Leo
Tamil action thriller by Lokesh Kanagaraj in which a café owner in Himachal Pradesh, played by Vijay, is hunted by drug barons who insist he is a gangster named Leo.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Leo is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Checked Sun, 18 Oct, 2026Open ↗
The story
Parthiban runs a café and rescues wild animals in the Himachal town of Theog, where he lives quietly with his wife Sathya and their two children. When armed robbers storm his café and threaten his daughter, he shoots them dead. The killings put his photograph in newspapers across the country, and it catches the eye of Antony and Harold Das, drug-running brothers from Telangana. Antony comes to Theog convinced that Parthiban is Leo, a long-lost son. Vijay, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja star.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
Aimed at fans of big-star action and of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe who want the Vijay chapter. Although it is rated U/A, the CBFC asked for cuts to gore and blood, and the violence, including occult killings, is heavy.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Leo is the third instalment of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe, after Kaithi (2019) and Vikram (2022). Lokesh Kanagaraj has said it was partly inspired by David Cronenberg's 2005 film A History of Violence. Seven Screen Studio produced it.
The film opened in cinemas on 19 October 2023 in Tamil, with Telugu, Kannada and Hindi versions. It began streaming on Netflix in India on 24 November 2023 in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, and an English dub followed on 12 December 2023.
Leo grossed about ₹145 crore worldwide on its opening day, the biggest first day for a Tamil film. Box Office India put its final worldwide gross at about ₹595 crore. With about ₹230 crore from Tamil Nadu, it became the highest-grossing film in that state. In 2023, theatre owners and trade observers questioned the reported collections. The producers rejected the claims and said their figures were accurate.
The facts
- Language
- Tamil
- Hindi
- Hindi dub available
- Genre
- Action thriller, Crime drama
- Runtime
- 164 min
- Certificate
- U/A
- Director
- Lokesh Kanagaraj
- Cast
- Vijay, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Gautham Vasudev Menon
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Leo in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Leo is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Is Leo available in Hindi?
- Yes. Leo was made in Tamil, and a Hindi-dubbed version is available on Netflix.
- Is Leo suitable for children?
- Leo has a CBFC U/A certificate, which means children under 12 should watch with a parent or guardian.
- How long is Leo?
- Leo runs for 2 hours 44 minutes (164 minutes).