4 days ago
Rajinikanth's Coolie draws frenzy in Kerala's Ernakulam with 350 houseful shows across 30-plus screens
A collective roar of wolf-whistles went up in theatres across Ernakulam district in Kerala as the iconic title card of 'Superstar Rajinikanth' backed by peppy music composed by Deva for his 1992-blockbuster flick Annamalai flashed across the screens. The Tamil actor's much-anticipated movie Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj opened with multiple fan shows on Thursday (August 14, 2025) at 6 a.m.
That the movie, 171th in his career, also marked the actor's golden jubilee in the tinsel town was another reason for Rajinikanth fans to celebrate.
The excitement around the movie lived up to the hype even before its release, as advance bookings witnessed an unprecedented high. Starting from 6 a.m. up until midnight, nearly 350 shows across 32 theatres and multiplex screens in Ernakulam, all of them houseful, have been scheduled for the opening day. A multiplex in Kochi city packed in as many as 30 shows, followed closely by another with 27 shows.
With an extended weekend beginning with Independence Day on Friday, tickets have become a prized possession. 'This will be one of the biggest openings for a movie. Screens have packed in shows without break till midnight. And the rush is not just confined to theatres and multiplexes in the city, but in the suburbs as well,' said K. Vijayakumar, president of Film Exhibitors United Organization of Kerala (FEUOK).
With positive word-of-mouth following the initial shows, buzz around the movie is already strong. 'The swag Rajinikanth, who is well into his 70s, is still able to bring on screen is unbelievable,' said Manoj Kumar, before walking in to watch the fan show in a multiplex at Maradu.
Coolie has an added draw for Kerala audiences, with Malayalam actor Soubin Shahir's dance in the song 'Monica...' going viral ahead of its release.
