What Did Director Lokesh Kanakaraj Say When Nagarjuna Asked, 'Can People Be So Evil?'

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Nagarjuna explores the nature of evil in his role.
- Lokesh Kanakaraj has a unique approach to storytelling.
- Coolie has a star-studded cast.
- The film addresses serious themes like morality.
- It marks a reunion of Rajinikanth and Sathyaraj after decades.
Chennai, Aug 5 (NationPress) Actor Nagarjuna, who takes on the role of a villain for the first time in his career in Lokesh Kanakaraj's highly anticipated action film Coolie, starring Superstar Rajinikanth, recently shared an intriguing exchange with the director. After filming a scene, he questioned whether people could truly possess such malice in real life.
At a pre-release event for Coolie, Nagarjuna recounted, "Our first shooting location was in Vizag. A scene filmed on the second day was leaked and went viral, leaving us disheartened. After seeing the footage, I asked Lokesh, 'Can people be this evil?' To which he replied, 'They are even more evil than this.'"
Nagarjuna expressed profound admiration for Lokesh, stating that working with him felt like a dream. He praised the director's empathy, calling it a remarkable trait that makes others eager to collaborate with him again.
Anticipation around Coolie is soaring, with industry rumors suggesting that this much-awaited action film may be released in over a hundred countries when it debuts on August 14 this year.
In addition to Rajinikanth, the film boasts an impressive cast including stalwarts like Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, Aamir Khan, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, and Shruti Haasan.
The music for Coolie is composed by Anirudh, marking his fourth collaboration with Lokesh Kanakaraj. Cinematography is handled by Girish Gangadharan, while editing is done by Philomin Raj.
This film is particularly exciting as it reunites actors Sathyaraj and Rajinikanth after nearly 38 years, having last shared the screen in the blockbuster 'Mr Bharath' back in 1986, where Sathyaraj portrayed Rajinikanth's father. Notably, he had previously declined roles in some of Rajinikanth's earlier films like 'Enthiran' and 'Sivaji'.
The storyline of Coolie revolves around gold smuggling, and Lokesh Kanakaraj has confirmed that this film will stand alone, separate from his Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU).