Nagarjuna says playing villain in Rajinikanth's Coolie was a liberating experience: I made for a very charming villain

Mint

6 hours ago

Veteran Telugu actor Nagarjuna has opened up about his latest role as the main antagonist in 'Coolie', the much-anticipated action film starring Rajinikanth and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj.
The film, which is slated for release on August 14, features Nagarjuna as the villainous Simon, a role the actor calls 'liberating'.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Nagarjuna shared how the project came to him and what drew him in. 'I don't know what made Lokesh come to me,' he said, recalling his first meeting with the director. 'The first question he asked me was, 'Do you mind playing an antagonist?' He said that if it was a no-go, we'd just have a cup of tea and part ways.'
Instead of turning it down, Nagarjuna said how he was intrigued. 'I told him honestly that I was not against it, but had to first listen to the script.' That conversation led to several more. 'I liked it so much that I made him come back six to seven times to figure out my role!'
Describing the experience of playing Simon, Nagarjuna said, 'There was no pressure in how I acted… unlike say, the character of Deepak that I play in 'Kuberaa'. Deepak has to be a certain way all the time. Even the manner in which he has a cup of coffee has to be decent. But, in 'Coolie', all of that flew out of the window.'
Nagarjuna also revealed how people on set responded to his performance. 'Everyone said I made for a very charming villain. Lokesh has presented me that way,' he said. 'I had such a liberating experience. I asked him a couple of times if he was sure he wanted me to behave a certain way and if people acted this way, and Lokesh would go, 'Yes sir, people are very evil!''
'Coolie' features an ensemble cast including Rajinikanth, Upendra, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, and Soubin Shahir.
The film is produced by Sun Pictures and will feature music by Anirudh Ravichander.
With Nagarjuna in a never-before-seen avatar and the promise of a high-octane narrative, 'Coolie' is already shaping up to be one of the year's most talked-about releases.