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Lokesh Kanagaraj struggled to cast Nagarjuna as villain in 'Coolie'
Nagarjuna Akkineni is set to play his first-ever villain role in Coolie, opposite Rajinikanth.
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film drops August 14, 2025, and marks a major shift for Nagarjuna after four decades of playing heroes.
It took Nagarjuna 4 months to say yes
It took Nagarjuna four months and several script readings to say yes—he was hesitant to break his heroic streak.
But he called the role "liberating," enjoying the freedom to explore a darker side (including using on-screen profanity for the first time).
With a star-packed cast and Anirudh's music, Coolie is already generating serious buzz among fans.