Kamal fan, Rajini film: Coolie reminds us Superstar belongs to both camps

India Today

2 days ago

Spoiler Alert: This piece spills some 'Coolie' secrets. If you haven't seen the film yet, close this tab faster than Rajinikanth flips a cigarette and come back after watching it. There might not be a single Rajinikanth fan who hasn't felt the ache of his parting with Shobana in Mani Ratnam's 1991 classic 'Thalapathi'. As Surya and Subbulakshmi walk away from each other under a setting sun, Ilaiyaraaja's haunting violin theme seeps deep into your bones, leaving a wound that never truly healed.advertisementWhether you first witnessed it on the big screen or discovered it years later on television, the heartbreak still stings.
34 years later, in 'Coolie', that story receives the ending it always deserved. Throughout the film, Rajinikanth's late wife is spoken of - her presence lingering in conversations and backstory - but she is never shown, not even in a sensational cameo where a de-aged Rajini lights up the screen. Not until the final scene. In that closing moment, Rajinikanth finally looks at a photograph preserved for over three decades, and it is Shobana's face. No caste divisions this time, no ideological rifts, no Mani Ratnam plot twist to tear them apart. Just a quiet, unexpected closure for those still carrying the 'Thalapathi' wound.IT COMES FROM A KAMAL FANAnd here's the twist: it took a die-hard Kamal Haasan fan to give Rajini fans that moment. Lokesh Kanagaraj, the man who calls Kamal his idol and gave him one of his biggest hits with 'Vikram', still wrote and shot this tender gift for Rajinikanth.This isn't a common Tamil cinema phenomenon - many stars have had fan bases that spit venom at their rivals. But Rajini and Kamal have always been different. For all their contrasts - one a master craftsman, the other a pure entertainer and crowd-puller; one a believer, the other a rationalist; one advocating spiritual politics, the other speaking centrism and Periyar in his political journey - they have admirers in both camps. Their rivalry has never eroded their mutual respect, and Lokesh stands as living proof that the Rajini-Kamal divide was never meant to be binary.
Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth's throwback picture. (Photo credit: X/ikamalhaasan)
During another of his whistle-worthy speeches at 'Coolie's' audio launch, Rajinikanth poked fun at Lokesh, saying the filmmaker had made it clear he was a Kamal Haasan fan before narrating the script."Na kettena? (Did I ask you?)" was Rajini's cheeky reply - a line that lit up the hall and added one more memorable entry to their shared lore.THE RAJINI PADAM GENREThere's a separate genre in Tamil cinema: the Rajini padam (movie in English). Regardless of the critical yardsticks or the weight of the story, some films have soared to blockbuster status purely on the power of Thalaivar's presence. The flick of a cigarette, the sweep of hair, a collar raised in slow motion, a single close-up of his eye sending shivers through a villain's gang - enough to send theatres into a frenzy.advertisementKamal films, however, carry a different burden. His fans expect reinvention every time. Even when he pours his heart and soul into a role, they demand something more - something fresh, something daring. At times, his visions have been so far ahead that they stumbled at the box office, only to be hailed as cult classics years later.Rajini fans walk into theatres knowing exactly what they want - and they get it. Kamal rarely enjoys that luxury. For him, sometimes even his best isn't enough to satisfy the audience. And that's where Lokesh Kanagaraj triumphed in Coolie. Many wondered how a lifelong Kamal devotee would portray his idol's greatest rival. But Lokesh delivered - with the same flair and reverence that die-hard Rajini fan Karthik Subbaraj once brought to 'Petta' - proving once more that admiration need not be one-sided.advertisementThat's why 'Coolie' feels different from 'Vikram'. Yes, Lokesh might have written with more sharpness for his idol Kamal, or in earlier works like 'Master' and 'Kaithi'. But here, he knows exactly what he's doing - crafting a three-hour, paisa-vasool arena built for one thing: giving Rajinikanth fans the ultimate Thalaivar Dharisanam (auspicious sight of Thalaivar). SWAGGER MAX IN 'COOLIE'Throughout the film, Rajinikanth gets to do "Rajinikanth things", but always in a measured tone that serves the story. He's allowed to emote, to respond to situations and to the emotions of his co-stars. There's even a two-minute monologue that lays the foundation for a cracking flashback. For once, the swagger and the actor work in tandem, each elevating the other.
A de-aged Rajinikanth in 'Coolie'. (Photo credit: X/sunpictures)
Take the opening scene: Rajinikanth, a lodge owner in Chennai, is shown cutting meat to prepare biryani - Lokesh slipping in his favourite dish. It's done in pure Thalaivar style. You might never have wondered how Rajinikanth would cut meat - until you see it, and realise it could only be him.advertisementWithin ten minutes, Rajini gets a joyous intro song, the kind he's missed since Petta. In 'Chikitu Vibes', he dances with an ease and swagger that only he can summon. Rajinikanth even joked in an interview that he told the choreographer he was a "1950s model" and not to push him too much. But once the music hit, he did what he knows best - danced to Anirudh's vibey beats, letting his joy spill straight into the audience. When Rajinikanth enjoys himself on screen, his fans feel it instantly.There's one sensationally-staged action sequence in a ladies hostel. Rajinikanth gives self-defence tips to the women in the hostel as he bashes up goons. Only someone who understands Rajinikanth's comic beat can come up with this riot of a scene.The pre-interval block may not match the adrenaline of Vikram's reveal for Kamal, or the explosive highs of Jailer, but Lokesh turns it into a sly, layered payoff. Earlier, Rajini's character - echoing his own real-life battles with alcohol - warns another man against drinking, delivering the line with the punch of his no-smoking warning in 'Petta'. Moments later, on learning of a close friend's death, he tears into a bottle of whisky - a mix of grief, defiance, and sheer style. Lokesh stages it with his signature flair: an inebriated Rajinikanth dances to the vintage 'Disco Disco' from Thangamagan (1983), then lets the moment flow seamlessly into Anirudh's reworked version. advertisementIt's pure Rajinikanth mania - an interval block built not on shock twists, but on celebration. And for Thalaivar's fans, that's more than enough.It's classic Rajinikanth irony. The same man who has long preached against drinking and smoking, drawing from his own struggles, now turning that moral weight into an unforgettable cinematic beat. When Rajinikanth warns about the dangers of addiction, people listen; when he breaks those rules on screen for a scene like this, it lands with twice the impact.There are umpteen such moments in the film that's crafted for Thalaivar, this time not by his fanboy Subbaraj, but by his rival's fanboy. Without spoiling much, let me tell you the flashback portions with a de-aged Rajinikanth is a blast in the theatres. When Rajinikanth brings back his 'seeviduven' gesture after ages, the decibel levels hit the roof.RAJINIKANTH BELONGS TO EVERYONEYes, 'Coolie' might not be Lokesh's strongest work. But it has enough moments to serve the Rajini fanatics. 'Jailer', directed by the highly-rated Nelson Dilipkumar, was a cracker with Rajinikanth at his best - but at times, it felt like a compilation of mass moments tailored for the reels-watching generation. In 'Coolie', his signature moves land with intent: the cigarette flip, the casual swig from a whisky bottle, the slow sleeve-roll before a fight. More importantly, these moments are stitched into a dignified arc that lets him slip between charm and gravitas, reminding you why his acting chops are criminally underrated.Yes, 'Coolie' has its flaws. Those who went in expecting another 'Kaithi' or 'Vikram' from Lokesh - with the biggest superstar of Tamil cinema, no less - may leave wanting more.But watching Lokesh get the beats of a Rajini film right is a pleasure in itself, and a reminder that in Tamil cinema, almost everyone is a Rajinikanth fan. You might disagree with what he says off-screen, but what he does on-screen is irresistible - and in 'Coolie', Lokesh gives you plenty of reasons to remember why.- Ends