"I Was Shocked to See Myself in the Movie!" Nagarjuna on Coolie Reveal

Akkineni Nagarjuna, who’s juggling two major releases this year. Kubera and Coolie, recently opened up about his roles and working with two very different directors. Instead of the usual promotional chatter, he shared honest reactions to seeing himself on screen in Coolie and what surprised him about Kubera’s script.

Talking about Kubera, Nagarjuna revealed that collaborating with Sekhar Kammula was a dream long in the making. “I’ve wanted to work with Sekhar for 15 years,” he said. “When he came to me with this story, I was stunned. I asked him, ‘Are you really doing this film?’ It was that unexpected.” According to Nagarjuna, the story dives into social layers and everyday realities, wealth gaps, moral struggles, and family dynamics, without leaning on real-life scandals. Sekhar, he said, did extensive groundwork to build something powerful yet grounded.

Switching gears to Coolie, Nagarjuna got visibly excited. “This film is different from anything I’ve done in recent years,” he said. “When I saw myself in the role, I honestly didn’t recognize the version of me Lokesh Kanagaraj created. It’s raw, it’s massy, and it’s going to shake things up.” Known for gritty storytelling, Lokesh is reportedly giving Nagarjuna a high-energy makeover, one that the actor himself wasn’t expecting.

With both films lined up for release and offering polar opposite tones, one rooted in realism, the other in stylized action, Nagarjuna seems set for an interesting ride. And from the way he talks about them, he’s as curious as the audience to see how it all plays out.