Coolie (2025): Rajinikanth’s Action Spectacle Dominates the Box Office

The wait for Rajinikanth’s 171st film, Coolie, has proven worth it, as the Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed action thriller has stormed theaters worldwide with record-breaking collections. Packed with high-octane action, powerhouse performances, and an ensemble cast, Coolie is not just another festival release—it’s a mass phenomenon redefining Tamil cinema’s box office landscape.

“Once a coolie, always a fighter,” thunders Rajinikanth in the film—a line that has now become a rallying cry among fans who have made Coolie a historic blockbuster.

🚀 Opening Day Firestorm

Coolie debuted in theaters on 14 August 2025, and right from its first show, the mania was undeniable. The film shattered records by grossing an unprecedented ₹150 crore worldwide on its opening day, making it the highest first-day grosser in Tamil cinema history. Crowds thronged theaters from Chennai to Dubai, with housefull boards dominating ticket counters.

The energy was electric—celebrations outside theaters resembled festivals, with fans performing milk abhishekams, bursting crackers, and dancing to Anirudh Ravichander’s pulsating tracks.

💥 The First Week Rampage

The momentum only grew stronger as the days rolled on. Within just two days, the film zoomed past ₹250 crore, and by the end of day three, it crossed the ₹320 crore mark. On its fourth day, Coolie stormed past the ₹400 crore milestone, silencing skeptics and proving Rajinikanth’s enduring box office dominance.

By the end of its first week, the film had grossed an astonishing ₹432 crore worldwide, solidifying itself as not only a Tamil hit but a pan-Indian juggernaut.

🌍 The Two-Week Milestone

Even in its second week, Coolie showed no signs of slowing down. With strong repeat audiences and positive word-of-mouth about its action sequences and Rajinikanth’s towering performance, the film grossed an estimated ₹568 crore in just two weeks.

This remarkable performance has made Coolie:

• The highest-grossing Tamil film of 2025

• The third-highest-grossing Indian film of 2025

• The fourth-highest-grossing Tamil film of all time

With such numbers, Coolie has etched its name in the golden books of Indian cinema.

🎭 Why Coolie Works

While critics were divided on the story and screenplay, they unanimously praised the performances, background score, and mass elevation sequences. Rajinikanth’s dual shades as Devaraj “Deva”—a coolie union leader turned avenger—struck an emotional chord, especially with the father-daughter subplot.

Anirudh Ravichander’s explosive soundtrack, Girish Gangadharan’s grand visuals, and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s signature dark action treatment kept audiences glued. Cameo appearances by Aamir Khan and Pooja Hegde added to the spectacle, while the ensemble cast—Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, and Sathyaraj—elevated the drama.

📊 Budget vs. Box Office

With a reported budget of ₹350–400 crore, Coolie was one of the most expensive Tamil films ever made. But in just two weeks, the film has already crossed ₹500 crore worldwide, ensuring massive profits for its producers.

Industry analysts predict that Coolie could comfortably cross the ₹700 crore mark in its lifetime run, depending on its performance in the third and fourth weeks.

🌟 Final Word

Coolie (2025) isn’t just a film—it’s an event cinema experience. With Rajinikanth at the helm, Lokesh Kanagaraj behind the camera, and Anirudh’s music blasting in theaters, the film has given audiences exactly what they craved: a mass-loaded, emotion-driven action saga.

As Deva says in the climax: “The fight of a coolie never ends—it only begins anew.”

At the box office, that fight has translated into pure dominance.