Rajinikanth has remained a cinematic icon for decades, but his box office journey since 2010 shows inconsistent success. Despite his star aura, only two or three of his films in the last fifteen years managed to achieve solid commercial results.
Movies like Kochadaiiyaan, Kaala, Lingaa, Darbar, and Vettaiyan ended up as disappointments. Even big projects such as Kabali and 2.0 received only moderate responses despite massive expectations, while Annaatthe, which had heavy promotion, turned out to be another weak performer at the box office.
On the brighter side, Petta delivered a hit and Jailer emerged as a massive blockbuster, collecting more than Rs 600 crores worldwide. These films proved Rajinikanth’s enduring appeal when backed by strong storytelling, effective direction, and engaging mass narratives.
His latest outing, Coolie, opened with hype but soon slowed down, especially after a sharp Monday drop. It is performing moderately but far from being a universal blockbuster. Many viewers felt the storyline was incohesive and poorly executed, weakening Lokesh Kanagaraj’s reputation.
Coolie was expected to be the first Tamil film to touch Rs 1000 crores, but current trends suggest it may struggle to even cross Rs 500 crores. The film’s reliance on spectacle over narrative proved risky in an era of content-driven cinema.
Rajinikanth’s next big hope lies with Nelson’s Jailer 2. The first Jailer was a phenomenon, but sequels in Tamil cinema such as Indian 2 and PS 2 have struggled to recreate past glory, raising both expectations and risks for the superstar’s next move.
In short, Rajinikanth’s last fifteen years reveal that star power alone cannot guarantee consistent box office success. The failures highlight changing audience preferences and the demand for strong scripts. Rajinikanth still commands huge attention, but formulaic storytelling is no longer enough.
