Box Office Update: Coolie (2025) Dominates, While War 2 Struggles to Keep Pace

August 2025 turned out to be one of the biggest months in Indian cinema, with two massive Independence Day releases — Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan–NTR Jr’s War 2. Both films came loaded with hype, ensemble casts, and sky-high budgets. But while one has stormed its way into record books, the other is fighting hard to find stable ground.

🔥 Coolie (2025) — Rajinikanth Rules the Box Office

Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, has turned into a historic money-spinner. Released on 14 August 2025, the action-thriller has emerged as the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year, cementing Thalaivar’s box office dominance yet again.

• Opening Day: ₹150 crore worldwide — the biggest-ever opening for a Tamil film.

• Day 2: Crossed ₹250 crore.

• Day 3: Surged past ₹320 crore.

• Day 4: Shattered records with ₹400 crore.

• 1 Week: ₹432 crore.

• 2 Weeks: ₹568 crore worldwide.

With a reported budget of ₹350–400 crore, the film has already turned profitable, and with continued momentum, it is expected to comfortably cross ₹600+ crore, placing it among the top 5 Tamil films of all time.

Despite mixed-to-positive reviews (critics praised Rajinikanth’s performance, Anirudh’s music, and the action set pieces, but criticized the screenplay), Coolie proves once again that Rajinikanth is more than a star — he’s a box office phenomenon.

⚔️ War 2 (2025) — Spy Universe Stumbles

On the same day, YRF’s much-awaited War 2 hit cinemas, starring Hrithik Roshan, N. T. Rama Rao Jr., and Kiara Advani. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the film had everything going for it: the continuation of the War franchise, big names, high-octane action, and the YRF Spy Universe branding.

But the reality has been different.

• Opening Day: ₹82 crore worldwide — strong but far behind Coolie.

• 2 Days: Crossed ₹150 crore.

• 1 Week: ₹200 crore.

• Lifetime (so far): Estimated between ₹277–339 crore worldwide.

Made on a colossal budget of ₹300–400 crore, the film is struggling to break even. Mixed-to-negative reviews (praising Hrithik and NTR Jr’s performances but criticizing the VFX and screenplay) have dampened audience reception. Unlike Coolie, which grew on word of mouth, War 2 has seen a significant drop after its opening weekend.

🎬 The Verdict

• Winner: Coolie (2025) — A certified blockbuster, Rajinikanth’s mass appeal has once again trumped everything. Lokesh Kanagaraj has delivered a commercial juggernaut despite story flaws.

• Loser: War 2 (2025) — While not a flop, its high budget means War 2’s performance feels underwhelming. For a YRF Spy Universe film, the numbers are well below expectations.

As of now, Coolie looks poised to continue its box office rampage, while War 2 may quietly end its run as a moderate success at best.