Sarvam Maya actor Nivin Pauly reveals he was offered a different character in Benz and things changed after discussions were held with Lokesh Kangaraj, who is the creative force behind LCU.

Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly’s induction into the popular Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) with the Tamil film Benz was the talk of the town. What caused more furore on the internet was that Nivin would be seen as the villain. But in a recent interview with The Cue Studio, the Sarvam Maya actor Nivin revealed that he was offered a different character and things changed after discussions were held with filmmaker Lokesh Kangaraj, who is the creative force behind LCU.
Explore the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) with Kamal Haasan’s Vikram and Karthi-led Kaithi on OTTplay Premium.
Nivin Pauly, known for the hit romantic movie Premam, said that he always wanted to do an out-and-out villain without a grain of goodness. Talking about Benz, Nivin revealed that when he was first approached, he was offered a different role.
“First it was a different character. Then, I think, after discussing with Lokesh (Kangaraj), they were like, if he is coming in, then make him the main villain. They then approached me again, with another character. I found that very fascinating. It is a proper villain character,” Nivin recounted.
Saying that he really enjoyed the role, Nivin said that there is a tinge of dark humour in the character.
Benz is an upcoming Tamil movie, which would be the fourth part in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) after Karthi-led Kaithi, Kamal Haasan-starrer Vikram, and Vijay’s Leo. But notably, Lokesh Kangaraj, who helmed the first three LCU movies, will not be returning to the director’s chair for Benz.
Instead Bakkiyaraj Kannan will be directing the action-packed film, with Lokesh contributing as a co-writer.
Raghava Lawrence plays the lead role in the film, which also features Samyuktha. On the other hand, Nivin Pauly is awaiting the release of his upcoming film Sarvam Maya, which hits theatres on December 25, 2025. Akhil Sathyan helms the film, which brings back the Aju Varghese-Nivin combo.
Also read: Sarvam Maya: Vineeth Sreenivasan adds to feel-good vibe of Nivin Pauly film with new song | Watch
Q. Is Nivin Pauly's double role in Benz?
A. Nivin Pauly plays the villain Walter in the movie Benz. However, it is not known whether he would be seen in double roles.
Q. Will Benz be a part of LCU?
A. Benz is a part of LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe) after Kaithi Vikram and Leo.
Q. Which is Nivin Pauly’s new film?
A. Nivin Pauly’s new film is Sarvam Maya, also starring actor Aju Varghese, which will release in theatres for Christmas. Nivin was recently seen in the web series Pharma.
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