Rajinikanth’s ‘Coolie’ Scores Massive Day 1 Box Office, Despite Mixed Reviews
The much-awaited action film *Coolie*, starring Rajinikanth and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, stormed the box office with a stellar global opening on its release day, August 14. Released in multiple languages, the film is estimated to have grossed between Rs 125-150 crore worldwide on its first day, marking a blockbuster debut.
According to box office tracker Sacnilk, Coolie earned approximately Rs 65 crore nett (gross minus taxes) in India alone on its opening day. The film saw strong theater occupancy across its language versions: the Telugu version led with an impressive 92.10% occupancy, followed by Tamil at 86.99%, Kannada at 71.37%, and Hindi at 35.66%. The movie, produced by Sun Pictures, capitalized on the Independence Day weekend, drawing huge crowds.
Despite the commercial success, *Coolie* has received mixed feedback from critics and viewers. A review by Janani K from India Today gave the film 2 out of 5 stars, praising Rajinikanth’s magnetic screen presence at 74 but noting that Lokesh Kanagaraj’s signature style—featuring vintage songs, action-packed sequences, and non-linear storytelling—didn’t fully click this time. The reviewer highlighted that while Rajinikanth’s charisma shines, the film leans heavily on his star power rather than a cohesive narrative.
Coolie boasts a strong ensemble cast, including Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Soubin Shahir, and Nagarjuna in key roles, with cameo appearances by Kannada star Upendra, Bollywood icon Aamir Khan, and actor Pooja Hegde. The technical team includes music composer Anirudh Ravichander, cinematographer Girish Gangadharan, and editor Philomin Raj, adding to the film’s high production value.
With its explosive opening, Coolie has set a high bar, but its long-term success may depend on word-of-mouth given the varied critical
response.
