Rajinikanth’s highly anticipated movie Coolie, which was expected to achieve Kollywood’s dream of ₹1000 crore box office collection, was released in theatres on August 14 and has received mixed responses from audiences. Many fans had sky-high expectations from the film.
Since its announcement, Coolie carried massive hype, and with strong pre-release bookings, many Kollywood trade trackers predicted that the film could easily touch the ₹1000 crore milestone. The buzz around Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s combination had added to the anticipation.
However, after release, the film’s reception turned mixed, and in markets like Kerala, the box office numbers dropped because of the reviews. Despite this, the movie did achieve a solid start and registered record-breaking collections in several centres across Tamil Nadu.
On its opening day, Coolie collected around ₹151 crore worldwide, setting a new record as the highest-grossing Kollywood movie on Day 1. If the film had received highly positive reviews, experts believe it could have smoothly continued its momentum towards the ₹1000 crore target.
Following the mixed feedback, many trade trackers now state that while Coolie continues to perform in select regions, the possibility of crossing ₹1000 crore looks slim. They believe the numbers are likely to dip further after the first weekend.
Some experts also suggest that while Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie may not meet the sky-high expectations, Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, has immense potential. Jailer was a massive box office success, grossing more than ₹600 crore worldwide.
Industry insiders feel that even with average reviews, Jailer 2 could easily achieve ₹1000 crore because of the huge brand value of Rajinikanth and the success of the first part. Fans are already eager to see how the sequel shapes up on screen.
It remains to be seen whether Jailer 2 can satisfy audience expectations, deliver another blockbuster, and finally help Kollywood achieve the long-awaited dream of a ₹1000 crore box office milestone. For now, Coolie faces a challenging road ahead.
