In the ideas-starved Tollywood with image-obsessed stars, only a few stars, if at all, dare to be unconventional. Nani, Nara Rohith, Avasarala Srinivas, among others, instantly come to mind.

After playing a range of characters in film after film (read 'Ashta Chamma', 'Paisa', 'Janda Pai Kapiraju', 'Bhale Bhale Mogadivoy' and 'Gentleman'), Nani says that he is ready to play a character with negative shades. Although 'Gentleman' is usually referred to as casting Nani in a negative role, for he misleads with a suspicious expression till the climax, it can't be deemed a full-fledged experiment because villainy is not his character's identity in the movie.

Nani has said that one doesn't have to look bulked-up to play a villain for the reason that most of the real-life villains don't look that way. "In RGV's movies, the villain looks fearsome because of the way he looks at others," the 'Nenu Local' star says.

The question is, will Nani walk the talk?