# Vikram (விக்ரம்) (2022 film)
**Vikram** (விக்ரம்) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film written and directed by [Lokesh Kanagaraj](https://www.edgepedia.org/lokesh-kanagaraj) and produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, the company of its star [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan).[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%282022_%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29) It stars Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, and [Fahadh Faasil](https://www.edgepedia.org/fahadh-faasil) in the lead roles, with Narain, Kalidas Jayaram, Antony Varghese, and Arjun Das in supporting roles and Suriya in a cameo.[2](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/vikram/vikram-review.html) Although it shares its title with the 1986 film *Vikram*, it is not a sequel to that film, though Kamal Haasan reprises his role as a spy named Vikram from the earlier movie.[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%282022_%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29) • [3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/vikram-movie-review-lokesh-kanagaraj-kamal-haasan-7950442/lite/) Released worldwide on 3 June 2022, it became one of the highest-grossing Tamil films and the keystone of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), a shared world of interconnected action thrillers.[4](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/vikram/story.html) • [5](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022/reception)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Lokesh Kanagaraj, with story contributions from Rathna Kumar[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%282022_%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29) |
| Production | Raaj Kamal Films International, produced by Kamal Haasan and R. Mahendran[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%282022_%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29) |
| Lead cast | Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil; Suriya in a cameo as Rolex[2](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/vikram/vikram-review.html) |
| Music and crew | Anirudh Ravichander (music), Girish Gangadharan (cinematography), Philomin Raj (editing)[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%282022_%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29) |
| Release | 3 June 2022, worldwide; U/A certificate; 173-minute runtime[4](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/vikram/story.html) |
| Languages | Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi; the Telugu and Hindi versions were titled *Vikram Hitlist*[6](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/kamal-haasan-lokesh-kanagaraj-vikram-movie-promotion-started.html?source=other-stories) |
| Box office | About ₹4 billion (₹400 crore) worldwide[7](https://www.dinamani.com/cinema/cinema-news/2022/dec/14/lokesh-kanakaraj-vikram-vijay-3966771.html) |
## Spoilers
### Story and cast
The plot begins with a series of murders of police officials claimed by a gang of masked men as their war against the system, which is protecting a drug lord.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/vikram/movie-review/91974358.cms) A black-ops team headed by Amar (Fahadh Faasil) investigates, uncovering Karnan (Kamal Haasan) and the city's biggest drug dealer, Sandhanam ([Vijay Sethupathi](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijay-sethupathi)), who is under pressure from his boss over 900 kg of missing cocaine base.[9](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/vikram/story.html)
Kamal Haasan has little screen time until the interval, with Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi carrying the first half; the second half centers on him as Agent Vikram, also known as Karnan.[2](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/vikram/vikram-review.html) Suriya appears in a cameo as Rolex, a larger antagonist introduced late in the film.[2](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/vikram/vikram-review.html) • [12](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022)
## Production
Kamal Haasan's own banner, Raaj Kamal Films International, produced the film together with Turmeric Media.[8](https://www.hindutamil.in/amp/story/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/783102-red-giant-movies-bags-kamals-vikram-movie-tamilnadu-rights.html) Filming began with a first schedule in [Karaikudi](https://www.edgepedia.org/karaikudi) on 6 August 2021 and continued in Karaikudi, Chennai, and [Pondicherry](https://www.edgepedia.org/pondicherry); the final schedule, which started in December 2021 and was shot in Chennai, ended on 1 March 2022.[9](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/vikram/story.html) • [10](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/news/vikram-movie-shooting-in-last-stage-latest-updates-092022.html) • [6](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/kamal-haasan-lokesh-kanagaraj-vikram-movie-promotion-started.html?source=other-stories)
For Kanagaraj, the film followed *[Maanagaram](https://www.edgepedia.org/maanagaram)* (2017), *Kaithi* (2019), and *[Master](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-2021-film)* (2021), the last of which had raised his market standing across Indian cinema.[10](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/news/vikram-movie-shooting-in-last-stage-latest-updates-092022.html) He has described himself as a lifelong Kamal Haasan fan and framed *Vikram* as a tribute to the star.[5](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022/reception)
## Relation to the 1986 film and the Lokesh Cinematic Universe
The film takes its title and its agent premise from Kamal Haasan's 1986 spy thriller *Vikram*, but the makers stressed that it is not a direct sequel; the official teaser, released on 7 November 2020, used a reworked version of the 1986 film's theme song.[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%282022_%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29) • [5](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022/reception) [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) noted that Haasan reprises his role as the spy Vikram from the first film, while the new film is culturally rooted rather than Bond-like in style.[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/vikram-movie-review-lokesh-kanagaraj-kamal-haasan-7950442/lite/)
The film's background borrows events from Kanagaraj's own *Kaithi* (2019), whose characters and continuity it extends; Narain returns as Bejoy, and reviewers noted repeated references linking the two films.[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/vikram-movie-review-lokesh-kanagaraj-kamal-haasan-7950442/lite/) • [13](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/06/03/kamal-haasan-starrer-vikram-movie-review.html) Together with *Kaithi* and *Leo* (2023), it forms the [Lokesh Cinematic Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/lokesh-cinematic-universe), and the closing Rolex reveal, compared by one analysis to the franchise-hook device of *The Avengers* (2012), set up that universe's expansion.[14](https://civilsocietyonline.com/static/media/static/2024/03/29/January_-_February_2024.pdf) • [12](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022) Kanagaraj later said the universe was not ending and listed planned entries including *Kaithi 2*, *Vikram 2*, and a Rolex film based on Suriya's character.[15](https://epaper.thesouthindiatimes.com/media/2026-01/hyd-tsit-27th-jan-2026.pdf)
## Release and marketing
The film was announced for a worldwide theatrical release on 3 June 2022 and was released in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi, with the Telugu and Hindi versions titled *Vikram Hitlist*.[9](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/vikram/story.html) • [6](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/kamal-haasan-lokesh-kanagaraj-vikram-movie-promotion-started.html?source=other-stories) [Red Giant Movies](https://www.edgepedia.org/red-giant-movies), the company of [Udhayanidhi Stalin](https://www.edgepedia.org/udhayanidhi-stalin), acquired the [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu) theatrical rights.[8](https://www.hindutamil.in/amp/story/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/783102-red-giant-movies-bags-kamals-vikram-movie-tamilnadu-rights.html) The first single, "Pathala Pathala," written and sung by Kamal Haasan, was released on 11 May 2022.[9](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/vikram/story.html) Promotion included advertisements painted on railway engines and coaches in a yard in Erode under the Southern Railway.[6](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/kamal-haasan-lokesh-kanagaraj-vikram-movie-promotion-started.html?source=other-stories)
## Reception and box office
The film opened to strong audience response, and Kanagaraj thanked fans on Twitter within days of release.[16](https://www.dailythanthi.com/Cinema/CinemaNews/vikram-wins-director-lokesh-kanagaraj-thanks-fans-715535) Critics were divided in degree but broadly positive on the craft: The Times of India gave 3.0/5, calling it an ambitious but somewhat underwhelming action film more interested in expanding its universe than immersing the viewer;[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/vikram/movie-review/91974358.cms) [Behindwoods](https://www.edgepedia.org/behindwoods) also rated it 3.0/5, praising the performances, Anirudh's background score, and the stylish stunts;[2](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/vikram/vikram-review.html) and Onmanorama highlighted the music and cinematography as blending with the film to take it to a different realm.[13](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/06/03/kamal-haasan-starrer-vikram-movie-review.html) A retrospective reception survey describes it as Kamal Haasan's biggest hit in decades and the film people rewatch before each new LCU entry, with Suriya's Rolex entrance and Anirudh's "Once Upon a Time" theme becoming widely used reference points.[5](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022/reception)
By December 2022 the film was reported to have grossed about ₹4 billion (₹400 crore) worldwide.[7](https://www.dinamani.com/cinema/cinema-news/2022/dec/14/lokesh-kanakaraj-vikram-vijay-3966771.html) An Ormax Media June 2022 report placed it as the fourth-highest grossing film at the Indian box office for 2022 year to date, just behind *The Kashmir Files* and behind the two large pan-India releases *K.G.F: Chapter 2* and *RRR*.[17](https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/download-file.php?key=the-india-box-office-report-june-2022&type=pdf)
## References
1. [விக்ரம் (2022 திரைப்படம்), TamilArWiki](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%282022_%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%29)
2. [Vikram (aka) Vikram 2 review, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/vikram/vikram-review.html)
3. [Vikram movie review: Lokesh Kanagaraj's enormous fanboy service to Kamal Haasan is extremely satisfying, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/vikram-movie-review-lokesh-kanagaraj-kamal-haasan-7950442/lite/)
4. [விக்ரம் கதை | Vikram Kollywood Movie Story, Preview in Tamil - Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/vikram/story.html)
5. [How Vikram (2022) was received: reviews, reputation, legacy and influence, Sightlines](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022/reception)
6. [Kamal Haasan Lokesh Kanagaraj Vikram Movie Promotion started, Behindwoods Tamil](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/kamal-haasan-lokesh-kanagaraj-vikram-movie-promotion-started.html?source=other-stories)
7. [லோகேஷ் கனகராஜ் பேட்டி, Dinamani](https://www.dinamani.com/cinema/cinema-news/2022/dec/14/lokesh-kanakaraj-vikram-vijay-3966771.html)
8. [கமல்ஹாசனின் 'விக்ரம்' பட தமிழக உரிமையை கைப்பற்றிய உதயநிதி, Hindu Tamil Thisai](https://www.hindutamil.in/amp/story/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/783102-red-giant-movies-bags-kamals-vikram-movie-tamilnadu-rights.html)
9. [Vikram: Story, Preview, First Day Box Office Collection, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/vikram/story.html)
10. [இறுதிகட்ட படப்பிடிப்பில் விக்ரம், Tamil Filmibeat](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/news/vikram-movie-shooting-in-last-stage-latest-updates-092022.html)
11. [Vikram Movie Review: An ambitious, but somewhat underwhelming action film, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/vikram/movie-review/91974358.cms)
12. [Vikram (2022), dir. Lokesh Kanagaraj — analysis, influences and similar films, Sightlines](https://sightlines.media/film/743563/vikram-2022)
13. [Lokesh Kanagaraj's Kamal Haasan-starrer 'Vikram' is explosively charming, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/06/03/kamal-haasan-starrer-vikram-movie-review.html)
14. [20th Anniversary Issue, Civil Society (January–February 2024)](https://civilsocietyonline.com/static/media/static/2024/03/29/January_-_February_2024.pdf)
15. [The South India Times e-paper, 27 January 2026](https://epaper.thesouthindiatimes.com/media/2026-01/hyd-tsit-27th-jan-2026.pdf)
16. [விக்ரம் வெற்றி: ரசிகர்களுக்கு நன்றி தெரிவித்த இயக்குநர் லோகேஷ் கனகராஜ், Daily Thanthi](https://www.dailythanthi.com/Cinema/CinemaNews/vikram-wins-director-lokesh-kanagaraj-thanks-fans-715535)
17. [Top 10 June 2022 releases based on Gross Domestic Box Office, Ormax Media India Box Office Report](https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/download-file.php?key=the-india-box-office-report-june-2022&type=pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Action, thriller, and crime series film entries › Entries released 2020s and later*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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