I Wanted to Play Nagarjuna’s Role in Coolie, Says Rajinikanth

With just 10 days left for the release of the much-anticipated action drama Coolie, Superstar Rajinikanth surprised fans at the Telugu press meet today by sharing a heartfelt video message — spoken entirely in Telugu.

In the video, Rajinikanth expressed his deep admiration for Akkineni Nagarjuna, who plays the film’s primary antagonist, Simon. The Superstar revealed that when director Lokesh Kanagaraj first narrated the character, he himself was eager to play the role. But Lokesh had already envisioned Nagarjuna as Simon and assured Rajinikanth he would convince him “at any cost.”

Reuniting with Nagarjuna on-screen after 33 years, Rajinikanth praised his co-star’s fitness and charisma, jokingly asking him the secret to his ageless look. Nagarjuna attributed it to regular exercise, a disciplined diet, and “good genes from my dad.”

Rajinikanth was especially impressed with Nagarjuna’s performance, saying:

“He portrayed Simon so brilliantly that I honestly don’t think I could have done it better.”

The camaraderie between the two legends has further amplified excitement for the film.

Coolie also features Upendra, Aamir Khan, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, and Soubin Shahir, with music by Anirudh Ravichander and production by Sun Pictures.