Rajinikanth's Coolie crosses ₹16 crore in US advance bookings, beats Kabali record
The film has crossed not only the benchmarks set by Vijay's Leo and Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: I, but also Rajinikanth's own record with Kabali.
According to the production house, Coolie is the first Tamil film to cross $2 million ( ₹ 16.8 crore) in premiere pre-sales in North America. Sharing the news on social media, Sun Pictures posted: "Coolie varraan solliko! #Coolie is the First Tamil film to cross $2 million in premiere pre-sales in North America. #Coolie releasing worldwide August 14th.'
Fans quickly flooded the comments section to celebrate the achievement, calling it a 'Rajinikanth mass' moment. One wrote, 'All set mighty box office records,' while another predicted, 'The movie will create a new history.' Others hailed Rajinikanth as a 'Record Maker and Record Breaker' and said, '1000 Cr Loading.'
With just one day left for its global release, Coolie has overtaken all previous Tamil cinema premiere sales figures. Until now, Kabali (2016) held the record with $1.9 million in pre-sales, followed by Leo (2023), The GOAT (2024), Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022), and Jailer (2023).
As per the British Board of Film Classification, the synopsis reads: 'A mysterious man takes a stand against a corrupt syndicate exploiting and abusing the workers of a port town in this action drama.'
This marks the first collaboration between director Lokesh Kanagaraj and Rajinikanth — a pairing that has generated significant buzz among fans and industry insiders. The cast also includes Nagarjuna, Nimma Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Aamir Khan in key roles.
Slated for a worldwide theatrical release on 14 August, Coolie is expected to benefit from the Independence Day holiday weekend in India and the summer box office period overseas.
The record-breaking US pre-sale numbers highlight not only Rajinikanth's enduring global appeal but also the growing reach of Tamil cinema internationally.
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