Casting changes are only a natural phenomenon in film-making, caused often by availability, creative input, or production schedules. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has now opened up about such an interesting casting change in his highly anticipated action entertainer Coolie, headlined by the legendary Rajinikanth.
With Coolie being set for a grand international release on August 14, the pre-release activities are in full swing. In a recent interview, Lokesh dropped a hitherto unknown piece of information: the character who is now played by Malayalam actor Soubin Shahir was written with Fahadh Faasil in mind.
“I had Fahadh in mind while developing that character and even met him personally,” Lokesh revealed. “But because of his other commitments, he wasn’t able to take it up.” He further mentioned that the role was under development for more than six months before fixing Soubin Shahir for the role.
The fans already got an introduction to Soubin in the movie in the form of early promos and his own impressive appearance in the special song “Monica” featuring Pooja Hegde. Even Fahadh was unable to join the cast, yet fans will remember his own earlier on-screen work with Rajinikanth in Vettaiyan.
Coolie is the first-ever collaboration between Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj and thus, one of the most anticipated movies of 2025. Starring a dream cast including Upendra, Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, and Shruti Haasan, the stakes are extremely high for this high-octane gangster thriller.
As the release date approaches, the hype over Coolie is mounting. Lokesh’s secret expose has added to the suspense only, and the audience is looking forward to seeing what promises to be an epic cinematic experience.