At the Telugu press meet of Coolie held on Monday, Nagarjuna reflected on his collaboration with Rajinikanth and director Lokesh Kanagaraj, calling it "a very positive experience" that pushed him as an actor. Nagarjuna spoke at length about his role and said, “From the moment Lokesh started narrating, I found the plot very interesting. I even asked him if Rajini gaaru had really agreed to this story, because my role was dynamic and almost like a hero.”

He added about his pull towards challenging roles, “After Ninne Pelladata, people wondered why I’d do a film like Annamayya. I’ve always liked novelty. I can’t play the good guy all the time, it gets boring. Lokesh portrays his villains as equals to the hero, and Simon, my character, is one such role.”

Recalling their time together, Nagarjuna praised Rajinikanth’s dedication. “Even after all these years, Rajini sir goes to the side and practises his dialogues. In Thailand, during our 17-day night shoot, he gathered 350 crew members on the last day and handed out gifts, telling them to take something for their children. That’s the kind of person he is,” he said.

Rajinikanth, in a video message, expressed admiration for Nagarjuna’s role. “When I heard Simon’s character, I wondered who could do it stylishly. After months of searching, Lokesh said Nagarjuna’s name. I was amazed by his performance,” he shared.

Produced by Sun Pictures and featuring Aamir Khan, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, Upendra, and Soubin Shahir, Coolie is set for release on August 14. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj described convincing Nagarjuna as a challenge but said his performance will stun audiences.

Coolie, which marks Rajinikanth’s 170th outing and Nagarjuna’s first major antagonist role, will be released in Telugu through Asian on August 14. The actioner has equal hype for its Telugu version too.