Nagarjuna Says His Coolie Look Was Inspired By Heath Ledger's Joker: ‘Glad He Didn't Put...'
Lokesh Kanagaraj's much-anticipated Coolie has finally arrived in cinemas, and with it comes a revelation about one of the film's most striking visual elements—Nagarjuna's villainous look. In a candid conversation with co-star Shruti Haasan, the veteran actor revealed that director Lokesh, a self-confessed fan of DC movies, took direct inspiration from Heath Ledger's iconic Joker in The Dark Knight when conceptualising his costume.
Talking about the colour scheme, Nagarjuna shared, 'I think Loki had Heath Ledger's Joker in his mind, and he wanted that madness. He probably saw the madness in the colour as well." He explained how the choice of purple and cream felt completely new to him. 'I never wore such colours before. Loki told the dress designers. They got two or three options. He saw and said, 'This is it. This is the one I want.' I also had a jacket. Purple jacket. It was really good. I never wore those colours."
Describing the outfit, he laughed, 'It is a very strange dress. I mean, even for me, it's baggy pants." Shruti agreed, adding, 'It's kind of a mix of Heath Ledger and old Joker, as we know from the character." Nagarjuna then quipped, 'I'm glad he didn't put on that smile."
For an actor known for playing protagonists with moral authority, taking on a darker role was a significant shift. Nagarjuna revealed that he took several narrations before agreeing to join Coolie. 'The story starts with Simon's character. For the first time, I've recorded the narration and made notes to decide on the character. I never did this earlier."
The transformation seemed to impress even the film's superstar lead. Recalling a moment from the shoot, Nagarjuna said, 'After the shot was over, Rajini sir nodded and said 'hmmm' (with a sweet smile)."
Now playing in theatres from August 14, Coolie stars Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, and Aamir Khan in a cameo. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film blends high-octane action with stylish visuals, and Nagarjuna's Joker-inspired antagonist is shaping up to be one of its most talked-about highlights.
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