'Coolie' buzz: Nagarjuna reveals why he took negative role

Entertainment Aug 21, 2025

Nagarjuna, usually known for his hero roles, is getting a lot of buzz for playing a ruthless villain named Simon in the new action thriller Coolie.
This marks his first time as an antagonist in his nearly 40-year career.
He shared that he'd never been offered a negative role before, but jumped at the chance to work with director Lokesh Kanagaraj and act alongside his inspiration, Rajinikanth.

Nagarjuna and Rajinikanth's 1st on-screen collaboration

Coolie also brought Nagarjuna and Rajinikanth together on screen for the first time—something Nagarjuna found inspiring.
Nagarjuna said they bonded over conversations about films and health.
Up next for him is King100, directed by Ra Karthik (release date still under wraps).