Finally, it is War 2 vs Coolie in theatres. After weeks of fever-pitch hype, Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie has finally landed in theatres. And let’s be honest — this wasn’t just a film release, it was a festival for Rajinikanth fans. Tickets sold out in minutes, pre-sales touched a staggering ₹100 crore, and over 12 lakh tickets were snapped up before the first show even rolled. With Rajinikanth in the lead, Anirudh on the music desk, and a star cast like Shruti Haasan, Nagarjuna, Upendra, Sathyaraj, Rachita Ram, and Soubin Shahir, with Aamir Khan popping up in a surprise cameo as ‘Dahaa’, that reads like a whole of Indian cinema, expectations weren’t just high — they were sky-high. But did Coolie meet them all? Let’s find out.
Coolie Story
Devaraj, aka Deva (Rajinikanth), runs Deva Mansion, a safe space where students get rooms at pocket-friendly rates. Life takes a sharp turn when his close friend Rajshekhar (Sathyaraj) suddenly passes away, supposedly from a heart attack. But when Deva stumbles upon the real death certificate, the truth hits harder — Rajshekhar didn’t die of illness… he was injured. Someone killed him.
Determined to find answers, Deva sets his eyes on the smuggling underworld in Visakhapatnam. Here, the ruthless Simon (Nagarjuna) and his aide Dayal (Soubin Shahir) run a deadly operation. Their latest tool? A sinister invention — a cremation chair created by Rajshekhar himself, capable of reducing a body to ashes in seconds. Once rejected by the government, it’s now in the wrong hands.
As Deva dives deeper, it’s no longer just about avenging his friend. Each step peels back layers of his own past — secrets, unfinished business, and dangerous ties that refuse to stay buried. What starts as justice turns into a reckoning.
Coolie Review
The pre-release chatter called Coolie “a mass tsunami from start to finish,” and while that’s true in moments, it’s not the whole picture. Lokesh Kanagaraj has taken a slightly different route here, dialing down his trademark all-out action for a more drama-led approach. It’s a gamble that pays off in parts but also slows the film down in places.
The first half moves at a measured pace — enough to keep you hooked, but it doesn’t offer the kind of big set pieces fans might be craving. It takes time, focusing on emotional undercurrents and setting up the central conflict. It’s not the breakneck, edge-of-your-seat pace Lokesh fans might expect — instead, it’s a slow simmer. When the film does go full throttle, though, it delivers — especially in the pre-interval stretch and the second-half action blocks. In the second half, the film shifts gears, bringing in a high-voltage flashback sequence, bigger action beats, and a climax that hits harder emotionally than you might think.
Anirudh’s background score is the film’s heartbeat. His music turns good scenes into great ones, and great ones into whistle-worthy moments. On the technical front, Girish Gangadharan’s cinematography captures the scale and style, while Philomin Raj’s editing keeps things tidy, even if a few scenes could’ve been trimmed for extra punch.
If there’s one thing to note, it’s that Lokesh plays it safe here. The film has the beats of a blockbuster, but fewer risks than his earlier work. It’s designed to please a wide audience, even if that means sacrificing a bit of his usual creative unpredictability.
Coolie Performances
Let’s be real — this film belongs to Rajinikanth. Even in scenes where the writing holds back, his charisma just explodes off the screen. Whether he’s delivering a one-liner, flashing that signature smile, or unleashing a stylish action move, the man’s presence alone is worth the ticket price. Read War 2 Movie Review.
Nagarjuna is one of the film’s aces. He plays his role with depth and swagger, making the hero-villain dynamic far more interesting. The only downside? His character fades a bit in the latter half when the spotlight swings fully back to Rajini.
Aamir Khan’s cameo as Dahaa? Fun, flashy, but more of a fan treat than a narrative necessity. Shruti Haasan, Upendra, and Sathyaraj put in solid performances, while Soubin Shahir and Rachita Ram feel underused; they could’ve added more to the story.
Final Verdict
Coolie is exactly what you expect from a big festival release — a crowd-pleaser with star power, whistle-worthy moments, and a few scenes that will have fans on their feet. But it’s also a film that plays things a bit too safe. Lokesh Kanagaraj delivers entertainment, but without pushing the boundaries he’s known for.
If you’re a Rajini fan, this is a must-watch — not because it’s perfect, but because watching him in full form on the big screen is an experience in itself. Just go in expecting solid entertainment rather than a genre-defining blockbuster.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
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