Nikhil talks about losing his precious years

Nikhil talks about losing his precious years. Nikhil captivated all with his performance in Karthikeya 2. He is now busy with Swayambhu which is progressing at a brisk pace under the direction of Bharath Krishnamachari.

Speaking to scribes, Nikhil shared his fears. He said  “A lot of people have been asking me why I didn’t release a film this year, but I’ve been waiting for something big. And that big thing is Swayambhu. We spent 170 days over the course of two years shooting for it. In comparison, I shot Karthikeya 2 in 80 days.”

In Swayambhu, Nikhil is playing the Chola Warrior , Krishnan Raman, 11 Century CE. Nikhil shared  “I am a huge fan of period content like Game of Thrones or our very own Baahubali. We often discuss the Greek hero Achilles, but few people are familiar with an Indian hero like Krishnan Raman,” says Nikhil, adding, “When I first heard this story and about my role, I loved it. I thought his story must be told. He was a kingmaker, and I am happy I get to play him.”

He continued  “We ensured we were historically accurate, and I know I did justice to my role. Even something as my character using a Sengol (sceptre) was treated with respect. To be in a world away from phones, I did my best to be in that mindset and fit in that time period,” says Nikhil. But ask him what the most challenging part was, and he jokes, “Growing out my hair for 3 months. They wanted to put me in a wig, but I insisted on having my own hair.”

Nikhil talks about Krishan Raman's horse named Maruthi. He says  “His real name is Diamond, and I truly enjoyed my time with the horse,” he says, adding, “It’s different when you drive a bike or a car. Horses have a personality, and I needed to understand that before we worked together. I spent three months with him before shooting to form that bond. Wherever I went, the horse would come. We shot some fun scenes together. And I’ll let you in on a secret, Maruthi can speak in the film.”

On Karthikeya 2 success,he added  “The story looked fantastic on paper, but we needed a good budget and graphics. Following the success of Karthikeya 2 in 2021, we secured the necessary budget, and the entire team has done a great job. The film has some out-of-this-world ideas that made me say yes, I just needed to do it. For example, there’s a scene of Maruthi and me going across oceans…I’ve said too much and can’t reveal more.”

Swayambhu is up for release on 13 Feb 2026. About his next projects, he shares “I have shot 50% of The India House, it’s a totally different genre for me. Then I have Karthikeya 3, so hopefully there are good times ahead,” says the actor. However, he candidly admits that he fears he is wasting his best years due to long shooting schedules. “There was a time when we could wrap films in six months, and that’s not happening now. As an actor, I fear I am wasting my best years…my young years. But if you don’t spend such time, people no longer watch a film. I only hope that my efforts pay off.”