Superstar Rajinikanth’s latest release Coolie is performing well at the box office but not at the extraordinary level fans had expected. The film earned around Rs. 46.5 crore gross on Saturday, taking its three-day India total to nearly Rs. 188 crore according to trade expert Himesh Mankad. With Sunday collections still pending, analysts expect the four-day opening to cross Rs. 225 crore comfortably.
The overseas performance has also been strong with Rajinikanth’s popularity driving numbers in multiple markets. The global earnings are estimated at USD 15 million, approximately Rs. 130 crore, which pushed Coolie’s worldwide gross to Rs. 318 crore by Saturday night. The Thalaivar factor has clearly boosted its international appeal.
India gross collections so far are notable, with Thursday bringing in Rs. 76 crore, Independence Day Friday adding Rs. 65 crore, and Janmashtami Saturday contributing Rs. 46 crore. This consistent momentum gave Coolie Rs. 188 crore in three days. However, advance booking data suggests that Sunday may not show the usual weekend surge.
Despite the festive advantage, the film still has a long way to go before it reaches breakeven. Trade estimates suggest Coolie needs to touch Rs. 500 crore worldwide gross to be declared a hit. The mixed word of mouth may result in heavy drops starting Monday, making the road to Rs. 500 crore challenging.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the film could recover about 80 to 90 percent of the breakeven target. In Kerala, it is almost certain to face losses of at least 30 percent. The Hindi version has performed poorly, earning only Rs. 17 crore gross in three days, and will likely finish its run well below Rs. 50 crore.
Coolie’s start has been powered by Rajinikanth’s stardom and the back-to-back holidays that guaranteed strong footfalls. The real challenge now will be weekday collections, which will decide whether the film can hold steady or face steep declines at the box office.
