The 2017 Telugu action thriller LIE – Love, Intelligence, Emotion, is an interesting and power-packed film. Its protagonist is Nithin and his lady love is Megha Akash. Arjun Sarja is the lead antagonist and veteran actor Nassar is his side-kick. However, when we sat down to think, we concluded that Arjun Sarjua in LIE as Padmanabham was a real ‘hero’. Here’s why!

Arjun has been a leading man in many films across industries in the last three decades. And he still continues to give the young stars a run for their money. As handsome as ever, Arjun Sarja as Padmanabham is a total delight to watch.

Padmanabham is not only an Indian classic rope trick magician, he is also an international criminal. The thing about Padmanabham is that he does not believe in sugar-coating his statements. And yet, everyone thinks of him to be a good man.

In the film, time and again, he is referred to as ‘the master of disguise’. That being said, it’s no surprise that we see him in many avatars — sometimes as the timid old man or the colleague cop at other times. Everything is enacted with equal ease.

What’s a criminal if not a smooth-talking one? Right? Well, Padmanabham is exactly that. Referring to fully-grown special agents from the CBI as ‘kiddo’ and blowing kisses at people before loading bullets into their skulls, this man has a style of his own.

One of the most important things for a ‘hero’ to have in an action thriller, is high intensity. Arjun Sarja as Padmanabhan and all the other guises is equally intense. Even when you see him cracking a joke, you can see the intensity in his eyes.

Watch more thrilling stories on ZEE5 now.