Rajinikanth’s much-awaited film Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, hit theatres on August 14. The movie created huge buzz but received mixed reviews from audiences. This mixed response has started to affect its box office run in Kerala.
On its first day, Coolie collected around ₹9.75 crores in Kerala, marking a strong opening. However, collections started dipping from Day 3 across several centres in the state. The fall in numbers is being linked to average word of mouth.
In four days, the film crossed ₹20 crores at the Kerala box office. Yet, trade trackers believe that if the current trend continues, the movie might head towards a disaster despite its solid start.
With this ₹20 crore milestone, Lokesh Kanagaraj has achieved a rare feat. He is now the first non-Malayalam filmmaker to deliver three straight movies that grossed over ₹20 crores at the Kerala box office.
Before release, industry experts predicted Coolie would surpass Vijay’s Leo, which made ₹60.05 crores in Kerala. But poor reviews have dampened its chances, and the film now looks far from reaching that benchmark.
Some trade experts also noted that Ajith Kumar’s Good Bad Ugly remains the only Tamil success in Kerala this year. They believe Rajinikanth’s Coolie has turned into a major disappointment compared to expectations.
The coming days will decide the film’s fate. It remains to be seen if Coolie can stabilise and recover in Kerala or if it will struggle to achieve the break-even mark.
