Nagarjuna on Coolie: Playing a baddie in Rajinikanth's film was liberating
Nagarjuna plays the main villain in Coolie which has been directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The Kuberaa actor reveals his fun interaction with the director when he came to cast him for the Rajini film.
Last Updated: 11.40 AM, Jun 17, 2025
Coolie is one of the most awaited films in India, as Lokesh Kanagaraj is directing Rajinikanth for the first time in his career. On top of that, Akkineni Nagarjuna is playing the main villain in the film for the first time in his career.
Nagarjuna reveals how he okayed Coolie
Speaking about this to The Hollywood Reporter, Nagarjuna stated he was taken aback when Lokesh approached him with a negative role. "Lokesh asked me whether I would play the main villain in Coolie, and I was taken aback. I asked him to narrate the story, loved the idea, and said yes," says Nagarjuna.
The Kuberaa actor also added that he had so many doubts, he called Lokesh to Hyderabad six or seven times to clear them. "Playing a baddie was liberating for me, as I did not have the pressure of performing and went all out. My fans will love me in Coolie," said Nagarjuna.
Already, a small clip of Nagarjuna committing a brutal murder in the film has gone viral and created a stir. After giving back-to-back flops, Nagarjuna is back in the game with two distinct characters in his upcoming films, Kuberaa and Coolie.
First in line is Kuberaa, which is set for release on June 20, 2025. Sekhar Kammula has directed the film, which also features Dhanush in the lead role. In Kuberaa, Nagarjuna is playing a very intriguing role, which has been kept a secret.
Nagarjuna on Kuberaa
Speaking about Kuberaa, Nag says he was pleasantly surprised when Sekhar Kammula approached him to play a supporting role. "Playing such a unique character is the best thing to happen in my entire career. This is the time when you play crazy roles, and your image helps things in a big way."
Nagarjuna also has a decent craze in Tamil Nadu, and with the likes of Rajinikanth and Upendra in key roles, he is super excited to see how the audience reacts to his new avatar. Stay tuned for more updates on this project.