‘I’m tired of calling them’: Nivin Pauly publicly urges Benz team to end delays so he can finally change his look

For more than a year, Nivin Pauly has had to maintain the same look while waiting to complete his remaining portions of Benz, the upcoming Tamil film set in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. With the shoot schedule taking longer than expected, the actor has now opened up about the challenges of having to preserve his appearance for the role.

In a candid conversation with host Rekha Menon, the Bethlehem Kudumba Unit star spoke about the delay surrounding Benz and explained why his look has remained largely unchanged across several recent projects. A contractual commitment for the film requires him to maintain a specific appearance, while the remaining schedule has been postponed several times.

Why Nivin Pauly has kept the same look

When Menon pointed out that Pauly had maintained a similar look across several recent releases and asked whether it was becoming something of a signature style, the actor clarified that it was not entirely a personal choice. “It’s not like that. I can’t change my look due to my commitment to Benz, the Tamil film. There was a proper agreement for it that I had to maintain my appearance. We began shooting for it last year, and it keeps getting postponed,” he said.

Although shooting began last year, the actor is still waiting to complete the remaining schedule.

Pauly plays Walter, nicknamed 'Twin Fish Walter', in Benz, taking on a dark and ruthless antagonist in what marks his first full-fledged villain role in Tamil cinema. He completed his first block of filming in November 2025 and had said in January 2026 that around 35 days of shooting were still pending. At the time of the latest interview, that schedule had yet to be completed.

Waiting while other films move ahead

The delay has also meant that Pauly has had to work around the Benz commitment while continuing with his Malayalam projects.

The actor has released several films during this period, including Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, while also taking on new projects. However, he explained that making significant changes to his appearance has been difficult while he still has around 30 to 35 days of Benz filming to complete.

Speaking about the situation, Pauly appeared increasingly frustrated with the prolonged wait and the need to keep following up about the remaining schedule. He also expressed his hope that the Benz team would be able to move ahead with the pending shoot soon. “Now, for Bethlehem Kudumba Unit and another recently launched film, I couldn’t change my look because I still have 30 to 35 days of shooting left,” he said, adding, “Nothing seems to be moving. I’m tired of calling them about this.”

He then addressed the Benz team. “Guys, at least after watching this interview, please make a decision and complete the film,” he said.

What we know about Benz

Benz is an upcoming Tamil action thriller set within the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. Directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan, the film is scripted by Kannan with Lokesh Kanagaraj, who created the interconnected film universe. It is the first LCU film to be directed by someone other than Lokesh.

Raghava Lawrence leads the film, with Pauly, R Madhavan and Samyuktha Menon also part of the cast. There has also been speculation about Karthi returning as Dilli from Kaithi, although that has not been officially confirmed.

The film was announced in April 2024 and was incorporated into the LCU later that year. Filming began in May 2025, with two schedules completed within the following months. Pauly's first schedule wrapped in November, but his remaining portions are yet to be filmed.

The film's extended production timeline has also prompted questions about when the remaining work will take place, particularly as Lokesh Kanagaraj continues to have several projects on his plate. However, speculation about the wider LCU's schedule should be treated separately from Pauly's comments about his own pending Benz commitment.