'Coolie' director Lokesh Kanagaraj seeks blessings at Rameshwaram; Rajinikanth's film set for clash with 'War 2'
With just days to go for 'Coolie's grand August 14 release, director Lokesh Kanagaraj took time out from the frenzy to pay a visit to the revered Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameshwaram on August 12.
The filmmaker performed rituals and took a holy dip at the temple's sacred well, seeking blessings for his upcoming project. This marks his second spiritual visit in recent weeks — earlier, he was spotted offering prayers at the Tiruvannamalai temple.
'Coolie' storms advance booking charts
Beyond its spiritual send-off, 'Coolie' is already making history in ticket counters. As of August 13, the film has raked in Rs 20 crore in domestic advance bookings, with over 9 lakh tickets sold.
According to Business Today, Tamil Nadu alone contributed Rs 12 crore, while Kerala and Karnataka brought in Rs 5.35 crore and Rs 4.15 crore respectively. The Hindi belt response has been modest so far, with 17,500 tickets sold for Day 1 and an expected Rs 4–4.5 crore opening in the region. However, the film's dominance in South India and overseas markets is undeniable.
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook)
Global pre-sales hit unprecedented highs
Coolie - Official Telugu Trailer
Internationally, 'Coolie' has set a new benchmark for Tamil cinema, collecting Rs 27 crore in overseas pre-sales, including 2 million (approx.
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Rs 16.6 crore) from North America alone — a first for a Kollywood film. With total global advance bookings estimated between Rs 50–60 crore, industry trackers expect the film to hit Rs 100 crore in pre-sales before it even opens. Its main rival, YRF's 'War 2', starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, has reportedly clocked Rs 17.29 crore in domestic bookings.
The Independence Day weekend will see both films locking horns, but with 'Coolie's dominance in the South and overseas, and 'War 2's grip on the Hindi markets, the stage is set for a box office showdown of historic proportions.
Starring Rajinikanth in the lead alongside Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj, 'Coolie' is one of the most anticipated releases of the year.
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