Bengaluru Turns Into Battleground For Coolie Or War 2 Box-Office Clash This I-Day

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Hrithik Roshan-Jr NTR's War 2 and Rajinikanth's Coolie release on August 14. War 2 will dominate Hindi regions and Andhra Pradesh/Telangana; Coolie will lead in Tamil Nadu.
Bengaluru is about to have a very filmi Independence Day, and no, we're not talking about flag hoisting at Cubbon Park. On August 14, two of India's biggest stars will try to squeeze into the same cinema halls: Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR in War 2, and Rajinikanth in Coolie. Elsewhere in the country, the fight's pretty one-sided. Hrithik and NTR are expected to sweep the Hindi belt and Andhra/Telangana, while Rajini will be the undisputed king in Tamil Nadu.
But here in Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru, it's shaping up to be a real tug-of-war. Trade experts say this is where the real box-office battle will be fought, and honestly, it feels less like movie releases and more like the city's preparing for a very dramatic, popcorn-fuelled street fight.
Bengaluru: Where the fans speak every language
Film exhibitor and distributor Akshaye Rathi told Bollywood Hungama, 'Bengaluru is as potpourri as it gets in terms of linguistic diversity. It would be a very interesting market; it has a huge Tamil-speaking population, which will come in unprecedented numbers for Coolie. It also has a huge Telugu and Hindi speaking population, which will come for War 2. Hence, here's hoping that the city sees unprecedented footfalls and that the sector witnesses history being made at the box office."
Andhra/ Telangana – A star-packed tug-of-war
He added that even Andhra Pradesh/Telangana is a region to watch out for, 'Jr NTR is a huge star in this region. At the same time, Mr Rajinikanth also has a huge pull there. The fact that Mr Nagarjuna also stars in Coolie is also a significant factor. Hence, Andhra/Telangana is going to witness quite a battle between the two films. I really hope that much like Karnataka, both films do extremely well and bring people in huge numbers to cinemas for either of the two films or ideally, for both of them."
Bengaluru as the box-office umpire
Trade analyst Atul Mohan claimed, 'Bengaluru is the neutral venue where both films have chances. It's a market which will give a clear idea about the position of both films. In the North, the first choice would be War 2 and in Tamil Nadu, it would be Coolie."
Clash or festival? You decide
Trade veteran Taran Adarsh explained why he has reservations with the idea of War 2 vs Coolie, 'There's a clash which we can't avoid. A lot of people are putting both films against one another. But I genuinely feel that yeh koi race ka maidaan nahin hai. Let both the films work. Both are big star-cast films and a lot of money is riding on both of them. Moreover, the lines between North and South are blurred. Coolie will have a dubbed version and at the same time, War 2 will be released in a dubbed Tamil version."
About Coolie
Coolie is an upcoming Indian Tamil-language action thriller directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner. Featuring a star-studded cast led by Rajinikanth, the film also stars Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, and Aamir Khan in prominent roles. The supporting lineup includes Rachita Ram, Reba Monica John, Junior MGR, Kanna Ravi, Monisha Blessy, Kaali Venkat, and Charle. Set in a bustling coastal port town, the story follows a mysterious man who rises against a corrupt syndicate exploiting and mistreating the hardworking coolies.
About War 2
War 2 is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language action thriller directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner. Written by Shridhar Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala from an original story by Chopra, the film marks the sixth instalment in the YRF Spy Universe and serves as a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster War. Headlined by Hrithik Roshan, N. T. Rama Rao Jr., and Kiara Advani, the cast also features Ashutosh Rana and Anil Kapoor in key roles.
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