Coolie box office collection Day 6: Rajinikanth-Lokesh Kanagaraj's pan-Indian entertainer dips further, passes Rs 400 crore worldwide

Indian Express

17 hours ago

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.