Rajinikanth to team up with director Vivek Athreya for his next: Report
Coolie boasts a star-studded ensemble including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, and Reba Monica John, along with a special song featuring Pooja Hegde and a cameo appearance by Aamir Khan.
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Indian Express
16 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Coolie box office collection Day 6: Rajinikanth-Lokesh Kanagaraj's pan-Indian entertainer dips further, passes Rs 400 crore worldwide
Coolie box office collection Day 6: 'Superstar' Rajinikanth's highly-anticipated first collaboration with hotshot director Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie, had a record-breaking opening at the box office. But, like most films of its kind, it has witnessed a rapid decrease in earnings almost immediately. On its first Monday, Coolie dropped by a massive 65%, but managed to cross the Rs 200 crore mark domestically. At the worldwide box office, the film has passed the Rs 400 crore mark already, pushing past its reported budget of between Rs 350 crore and Rs 400 crore. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Coolie made Rs 9.5 crore on day six of release across India, a noticeable drop from the Rs 12 crore that it made across the country on Monday. As usual, the lion's share of the revenue is coming from Tamil Nadu, while a decent chunk is coming from the film's Hindi dubbed version. Coolie hasn't made much of an impact in Karnataka and the Telugu-speaking states. But with over Rs 410 crore worldwide, it's almost certain to overtake Rajinikanth's Jailer. Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, Jailer was released in 2023, and it made more than Rs 600 crore worldwide. Also read – The Coolie effect: The star ensemble problem with our blockbuster cinema Coolie opened on August 14, a day prior to Independence Day, against the big-budget Hindi film War 2. Starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, the film had a major opening as well, aided by the Telugu star's fan following in his home state. However, War 2 is already being perceived as an underperformer. The movie made Rs 8.2 crore on day six, and is yet to pass the Rs 200 crore mark. Reviews for Coolie were mixed, with Rajinikanth's die-hard fans expressing satisfaction. But the general audiences felt like there something left to be desired. High-profile cameos by Aamir Khan and Nagarjuna also raised eyebrows, as did a colouful performance by Soubin Sahir. With these three actors on board, along with Rajinikanth at the helm, the producers covered all their bases and appealed to all four of India's major film industries. However, the filmmakers have been criticised for reverse-engineering a 'pan-Indian project' from the ground-up, without catering to the 'Superstar's core audience. He will next star in Jailer 2, the sequel to his massive 2023 hit.
Indian Express
16 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Coolie feels like 1992 Mammootty film rip-off; Lokesh Kanagaraj missed Rajinism 101, Rajinikanth shines best with OG fan-directors
About 10 minutes in, I started to feel like I had signed up for a trip I couldn't wait to end. As soon as Palanisamy (Kaali Venkat), an undercover police officer disguised as a labourer at Kingpin Logistics in the Visakhapatnam port, started sharing his findings about the company's owner, mafia boss Simon Xavier (Nagarjuna), and his henchman Dayalan (Soubin Shahir), it felt like a forewarning that what was about to unfold might be a series of templated scenes presented in a very basic manner just like this opening one. However, since Coolie was not touted as 'just another typical Rajinikanth film' and was directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj — who previously gave us Kaithi, Vikram and Leo — I thought this might not be the case. It's possible that Lokesh deliberately started with something casually mediocre to lower audience expectations, which would make the subsequent moments of elevation truly blast off. Unfortunately, it did not take me long to realise that I had been in denial and delusional, trying to find meanings and reasons that simply didn't exist. It did not take me long also to realise that Coolie was a Rajinikanth movie made by a filmmaker with almost no understanding of the essence of Rajinism, which comprises the actor's strengths and many weaknesses too. Yes, the visuals here were quite impressive as an overhead shot showed yellow hard hats dotting the heads of workers standing loosely clustered together, hinting they have no identities and are simply part of this syndicate. But there was something unbelievably dull about it. Both the staging and the actions felt like I was watching a mediocre Tamil film and not 'one of the most anticipated movies of 2025'. While Coolie may not rank among this year's worst Indian films, it's worthy of the title of 'the most disappointing movie of 2025', with only a few aspects of the film coming across as at least good. From the start, Coolie gives the impression that Lokesh either had no clue what he was writing or, worse, makes us wonder whether it was he who truly penned his earlier films. The sheer volume of directionlessness and plot holes per square foot in Coolie is such that it eventually leaves one wondering what deserves more hate: the writing or Lokesh's uninspired execution. After an initial series of underwhelming moments, one would hope for 'Thalaivar' to make an appearance and take charge. However, Lokesh delivers what can only be described as the most colourless Rajinikanth intros of all time. Even the supposedly 'sleek' shots of him 'stylishly' using butcher knives come across as artificial, with Girish Gangadharan's cinematography, which did wonders in Vikram, Jallikkattu, and Angamaly Diaries, looking cartoonish here. Anyone who grew up watching Rajinikanth's films knows one fundamental truth: he possesses a pace and rhythm that are unmatched. Although filmmakers like to showcase him in slow motion due to the sharpness of his movements, his inherent swiftness is an even bigger part of his trademark. This not only adds to his swagger but also helps to mask his limitations as an actor when it comes to exploring complex, layered emotions deeply. While he is not just about cigarette flicks and sunglass twirls, there exists a fine line between portraying Rajinism as natural and artificial. And it's best presented by filmmakers who are OG fans of Rajinikanth. Consider the mass Rajinikanth films directed by SP Muthuraman, KS Ravikumar, Suresh Krissna, S Shankar, Pa Ranjith and Karthik Subbaraj. One thing visible in all these films — such as Priya, Pokkiri Raja, Mr Bharath, Velaikkaran, Muthu, Padayappa, Annamalai, Baashha, Sivaji: The Boss, Kabali, Kaala and Petta — is the palpable enjoyment the directors seem to have had when presenting 'Thalaivar' on screen. They all appear thrilled to capture him through the lens. In Coolie, however, we don't get to see this Rajinikanth. Nor do we see the actor being guided into breaking free from his 'stock expressions', which he hilariously shared during the Ponniyin Selvan: 1 audio launch, as seen in Mani Ratnam's Thalapathi (1991). Instead, we are introduced to a version of the superstar who appears like a lost child, unsure of what to do after being 'kidnapped' by Lokesh. The ironic thing is that the 'kidnapper' Lokesh also seems just as clueless about what to do with Rajinikanth. The fear that his fans would be disappointed if he attempted to make a stylish star vehicle like Nelson Dilipkumar's Jailer, with the elevation moments and 'Thalaivar's swagger dictating the story's progression, is evident throughout Coolie. To avoid that, despite the absence of a cohesive script, Lokesh has attempted to unnecessarily understate the moments and Rajinikanth's performance as if to pander to the 'intellectual audience', who blindly find non-existent meanings in the works of their favourite filmmakers. However, the thinness and the holes in the script are too glaring to overlook. The two title cards for Rajinikanth — one in the OG style and one crafted in a semi-Lokesh style, reminiscent of the iconic Marvel-inspired card 'Thalapathy' Vijay received in Leo, to commemorate Rajinikanth's 50th year in cinema — themselves were a joy kill. It was then that I felt a level of admiration for director Shankar, considering the seamless way in which he pulled this off in Sivaji. The lack of blending visible here persists throughout the movie and across all aspects, ultimately resulting in a disjointed and half-baked experience. Although Coolie pretends, at least on its surface, to revolve around the strong bonds between various characters like Devaraj (Rajinikanth) and his friend Rajasekar (Sathyaraj), Preethi (Shruti Haasan) and her 'father' Rajasekar, Simon and his son Arjun (Kanna Ravi), and Dayalan and his crime partner Kalyani (Rachita Ram), the writing fails throughout to establish any of these dynamics properly. Instead, we are left to hear various characters engaged in spats with soap opera-ish dialogues like the senseless 'Ava ungalkuu appava irukkalam, aana avan enakku nanban (He may be your father, but he is my Friend)' and its cringey reply, 'Avaru ungalkku verum friend thaan, engalukku appa (He's just a friend to you, but for us, he's our Father).' Lokesh Kanagaraj's inability to flesh out the story and characters also results in iconic lines like 'Thodra paakkalam (I dare you to touch her)' and 'Verum panam (It's just money)' from Thalapathi going unimpactful. Without a glimpse of the so-called unbreakable bond between Devaraj and Rajasekar — or any insights into the former's past or present — how are we expected to empathise with Deva or grasp the emotion behind his mission to 'avenge Rajasekar's death' and 'protect Preethi and her sisters'? Had Deva been a 'ghost' like Vikram, this tactic might have made sense. But here he lives openly in his lodge, Deva Mansion, surrounded by many with whom he shares warm bonds. So, what's the point of keeping these aspects of his life mysterious? I doubt even Lokesh knows the answers. Also, why does Preethi hate Deva so much? Why did Rajasekar instill that kind of emotion in her, despite knowing Deva's actions three decades ago were righteous? Why is Simon's firm named Kingpin Logistics; does he want the world to know he's running a 'secret', shady business behind it? How did Dayalan know Monica beforehand? How did he manage to kill the loco pilot and take over the train? More importantly, how did he finally stop it? Is driving a train really that easy? How stupid was Preethi to make Deva's men stop their car to buy her food while they were fleeing Dayalan? Couldn't she have just gotten a takeaway? Also, does this world exist in a parallel universe without cops or any law enforcement whatsoever? By the way, Power House-aa?! Loki dey! So, what is Chandler Bing's job? Oops, my bad; what is Rajasekar's job? And how did he, an 'inventor', become BFFs with Deva, who worked at a port? What made Kaleesha (Upendra) confine himself to that room, rarely coming out? How did Simon forget Deva's face, despite witnessing him murder his father, while Dahaa (Aamir Khan) — who saw the same act at the same age — remembered it, as this made him Deva's fan? Even if one tries to justify this by pointing to Simon's 'substance abuse', Coolie fails to establish this aspect properly. Sure, a filmmaker needn't spoon-feed everything, but at the very least, the dots should be revealed so that the audience can connect them. Not just in its writing and presentation, but Coolie disappoints in its technical aspects too. The colour palette in most scenes was so pretentious that I couldn't tell if I was watching a Lokesh film or a Sun TV serial. While the use of 'Thamarai Poovukum' in Leo felt in tune with the aesthetics, the filmmaker's attempt to replicate that in Coolie backfires. From the odd placement of the track 'Monica' and the mediocre background scores to the underuse of 'Powerhouse' and the lack of fluidity in editing, Coolie never truly impresses. Yes, the overuse of 'Hukum – Thalaivar Alappara' in Jailer was a letdown, but that doesn't mean composer Anirudh Ravichander should have almost entirely avoided using the title track here. Towards the end, Lokesh even attempts to take Coolie into 'appa paasam' territory, with both Deva and Simon leaning into this. But thanks to the absolute lack of characterisation, the already-weak antagonist Simon's arc comes across as unimpressive, while Deva's feels like a poorly made, soulless rip-off of Joshiy's Mammootty-starrer Kauravar (1992). Incidentally, these moments only serve to remind us of Pa Ranjith's mastery as a filmmaker. As Coolie draws to a close, Lokesh reveals Deva's wife through a photo where Rajinikanth is seen posing with Shobana — yet another hat-tip to Thalapathi — and also discloses the identity of Deva's long-lost daughter. But as these scenes fall completely flat, one cannot help but recall how movingly Ranjith choreographed similar moments in Kabali and Kaala — not just two masterful movies, but also the finest Rajinikanth films since Baashha, in my opinion — which not only made the best use of him as both actor and superstar but also did not compromise on overall cinematic excellence. Among all the disappointments in Coolie, Aamir Khan's cameo stands tallest. Not only does the absence of substance detract from the moment, but the contrived exchanges between Rajinikanth and Aamir make it even worse. What I wouldn't have given to see Rajinikanth, Aamir Khan, and Upendra in a single frame, lighting beedis from the same flame and savouring them, in a film that truly deserved them! Sigh. A post shared by R R (@rachita_instaofficial) For the sheer swagger Nagarjuna Akkineni brought, the stellar screen presence Upendra ensured, and the strong performances delivered by Soubin Shahir and Rachita Ram, they all also deserved a much better film. Had Lokesh managed to channel even 10 per cent of the impact seen in the intercuts between flashback shots of a de-aged Rajinikanth and the present-day visuals of him, stylishly smoking a beedi, into the rest of the film, Coolie might have been at least 'not disappointing'. I feel sorry for the fans who, before the release, speculated that Coolie would be a sci-fi film with time-travel elements. Don't worry, guys, we'll file a petition to borrow Rajasekar's electric chair and incinerate the film completely so that no 'intellectual' comes back 10 days or 10 years later to 'convince' us that Coolie was 'a misunderstood masterpiece, much like Mani Ratnam's Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life.'
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Coolie Box Office Collection Day 6: Rajinikanth's film faces biggest dip, registers lowest earnings so far
Coolie Box Office Collection Day 6: Superstar Rajinikanth's latest film Coolie earned its lowest so far. The film had an impressive opening weekend. However, its buzz faded to a larger extent over the weekdays. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Coolie raked in ₹ 9.50 crore net on day 6 in India. The film saw a sharp decline in its earnings as it earned ₹ 12 crore on day 5, which was already a massive fall considering the film's weekend business. This marks the film's first single-digit collection since its release. The total business made by Coolie in India is ₹ 216 crore. Coolie was released on 14 August, clashing with Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's War 2, which was also released on the same day. Coolie was out in Tamil, with dubbed versions in the Telugu, Hindi and Kannada languages. Coolie had about 25.56% occupancy among the Tamil audience on Tuesday. The occupancy in theatres was as follows: The Hindi version of the film, Coolie: The Powerhouse, saw a better footfall in theatres than the original release. It had 31.65% Hindi occupancy on Tuesday. The occupancy for Coolie: The Powerhouse was: Among the Telugu audience, Coolie had an overall 19.84% occupancy on August 19, day 6. The occupancy in theatres for Coolie in Telugu was: Coolie crossed the ₹ 400 crore mark in 4 days worldwide, as per the film team. It is said to be the highest worldwide gross collection in the Tamil film industry. Coolie is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures. Besides Rajinikanth in the lead, the ensemble cast includes Nagarjuna Akkineni, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj and Rachita Ram. Aamir Khan and Pooja Hegde are also a part of the film in special appearances.
