Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie Telugu: Not So Easy Bro!

Superstar Rajinikanth, even in his 70s, continues to surprise everyone with his energy and commitment to cinema. Competing with younger heroes, he’s working non-stop on back-to-back films.

Currently, he is acting in Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, one of the most sought-after directors in South India today.

Coolie is set against the backdrop of gold smuggling and features a strong ensemble cast including Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, Upendra, and Shruti Haasan in key roles. The shoot has now been wrapped up. The film is currently in the post-production stage.

Recently, the makers officially announced that the movie will release worldwide on August 14. The announcement poster featuring Rajinikanth blowing a whistle created a huge buzz on social media. It’s like Lokesh Kanagaraj announced a war on this year’s most anticipated film WAR 2 releasing on the same date.

Coolie will clash at the box office with Hrithik and NTR’s War 2, which is also scheduled to release on August 14, setting the stage for a massive box office showdown.

Meanwhile, the theatrical rights of Coolie in the Telugu states have reportedly been sold for 40 crores, creating a new benchmark for Tamil dubbed films.

To put this in perspective—Suriya’s Kanguva sold for 25 crores, Vijay’s Leo for 20 crores, and Rajini’s own Jailer for 17 crores. This means Coolie needs to collect a minimum gross of 75-80 crores in Telugu to breakeven for the buyers which is a humongous task.

However, with Rajinikanth’s mass appeal, and more importantly Lokesh’s brand value as a director, star-studded casting, and smart promotional strategy, Coolie can surprise big time and make a dent to War 2 collections, especially in Telugu states.