Rachita Ram on Lokesh Kanagaraj's ‘Coolie': Always wanted to play a Neelambari-like character in Rajini sir's movie

The Hindu

4 hours ago

Rachita Ram is a huge fan of Rajinikanth's 1999 blockbuster Padayappa. The film instilled in her the dream of working with the superstar and sparked her love for complex characters, such as Neelambari, essayed with aplomb by Ramya Krishnan.
For the past decade, Rachita has reigned as one of Kannada cinema's leading ladies, featuring alongside stars such as Darshan in Bulbul (2013), Sudeep in Ranna(2015),Puneeth Rajkumar in Chakravyuha (2016), Upendra in I Love You (2019), and Shivarajkumar in Rustum (2019). Yet, even before her film debut, she hinted at her flair for cunning roles with her television breakthrough in Arasi.
After years of being a second fiddle to the hero with glamour and charm, Rachita's desire to explore a character with grey shades became reality when filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj approached her for Coolie, his maiden project with Rajinikanth. 'When Lokesh asked me what kind of a role I fancied, I told him I want to play someone like Neelambari,' she tells The Hindu in an exclusive chat.
'Lokesh was a bit surprised with my choice, considering I am known for my female lead characters in Kannada. Being an antagonist gives you a lot of room to perform. It's the kind of challenge I would love to take up more often,' she adds.
Rachita is one of the biggest surprise factors in Coolie, which hit the screens on August 14, 2025. In a star-studded cast involving Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Shoubin Shahir, and Aamir Khan, not many expected Rachita to shine, more so because she had a blink-and-you-miss appearance in the movie's trailer. The makers also stayed away from introducing her character during the promotional phase.
'Lokesh was particular that my character wasn't discussed anywhere pre-release, because he was sure my role would make a huge impact after the release,' reveals Rachita.
Lokesh's instinct was proven right when Rachita's performance won praise. She admits to being overwhelmed by the response from people who weren't familiar with her work. Her biggest compliment came from the superstar himself, something she had to remain tight-lipped about until the film was out.
'It's been a year since I got that phone call from Rajini sir. I had returned from a shooting schedule in Bangkok when he called to say I had done an excellent job. He said it was great to see a Kannadada hudgi (Kannada girl)perform so well. I told him his words were bigger than Oscars for me. For one year, it was so tough not to tell the world about this.'
Rachita loved how she was made to feel at ease by Rajinikanth and Lokesh from the first day of her shoot. 'I had a small chat with Rajini sir after the shoot. He was curious about the developments in the Kannada film industry. He recollected some of his works in Kannada cinema. He assured me that my character in Coolie would have a huge impact on the audience.'
As an actor, Rachita believes in spontaneity on sets. 'I didn't prepare much before my scenes in Coolie. Lokesh wasn't particular about rehearsals either. He was very specific about the all-important transformation of my character. To ace that switch in personality, he told me to keep in mind that I am a trained police officer. I had to ensure I exhibit the character trait of a trained officer, especially in the action sequence,' she explains.
The first approval of her efforts came from the cast and crew on sets, recalls Rachita. 'Anbariv masters were happy with how I pulled off the action scene. This was my first-ever action sequence. I used to get petrified when actors performed stunts in my movies. Also, when I revealed the big surprise in the tense scene, people on the set applauded. I got the same kind of applause in a crucial scene with Nagarjuna sir,' she says.
Rachita's performance in Coolie could open the door for more non-Kannada opportunities for the actor. This dream Tamil debut wouldn't have happened if not for her chance meeting with Lokesh at an awards ceremony. 'I told him to give me a script with a strong female protagonist. After seeing his Agent Tina character in Vikram (2022), I wanted to get a Kannada film made on a script by Lokesh.
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'He loved my confidence. I was desperate to do a role with villainous shades. In Kannada, filmmakers were hesitant to think beyond the traditional heroine role. They would always tell me, 'How can a girl with a cute and chubby face petrify people?' Thankfully, Lokesh believed in seeing me differently on screen.
With Coolie, Rachita feels she has answered her detractors. 'In recent times, I saw several comments on social media that they were tired of seeing me. They felt it was time for me to get married and retire from acting. I am glad to have answered them through my work,' she says.