Coolie box office faces slowdown despite global success

Coolie box office performance has entered its second week with mixed signals. Rajinikanth’s much-awaited collaboration with Lokesh Kanagaraj began with a thunderous opening, but the film’s momentum has slowed considerably in recent days. By Day 9, the film collected ₹5.5 crore in India, bringing its domestic total to ₹235.15 crore. Globally, the film has managed an impressive ₹439 crore, though it still lags behind some of Rajinikanth’s biggest blockbusters.

The film opened to strong numbers, earning ₹65 crore on its first day and ₹54.75 crore on Day 2. However, collections started dipping from Day 5 onwards, with single-digit earnings now being the norm. On its ninth day, Coolie registered an overall Tamil occupancy of 20.39%. The trend highlights the challenge of sustaining large-scale earnings beyond the initial weekend hype, even for a superstar-led film.

Coolie box office compared with past Rajinikanth hits

When compared with Rajinikanth’s earlier films, Coolie’s journey looks more modest. His 2023 blockbuster Jailer earned ₹245.90 crore in India by the end of nine days, already surpassing Coolie’s tally. The sci-fi epic 2.0 had achieved a staggering ₹314.25 crore in the same time frame, while director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo collected ₹271.90 crore by Day 9. Coolie, despite its ₹235.15 crore domestic earnings, finds itself trailing behind these heavyweights.

Still, Coolie has managed to outperform its immediate competitor War 2, which grossed ₹208.25 crore in its nine-day run. Yet, given the scale of Rajinikanth’s stardom and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s recent track record, expectations were far higher for this film.

Industry experts point out that the film’s reported production budget of over ₹300 crore, with nearly half attributed to Rajinikanth’s fee, places added pressure on box office numbers. While the global figure of ₹439 crore is strong, the film still needs consistent domestic performance to be considered a clear financial success.

The day-wise breakdown also reflects the decline: after strong early days, the collections dropped to ₹12 crore on Day 5, followed by ₹9.5 crore on Day 6, ₹7.5 crore on Day 7, and ₹6.15 crore on Day 8. With Day 9 bringing in only ₹5.5 crore, the decline has been steady.

Despite this, trade analysts remain cautiously optimistic. With the weekend approaching, Coolie could cross the ₹500 crore worldwide milestone soon. But whether it can reach the towering heights of 2.0 or Jailer remains uncertain.

Regional and audience response

Coolie’s performance has varied across Tamil Nadu, with Chennai showing the highest occupancy rate at 31%, followed by Vellore at 25.75%. While fan excitement remains, especially in urban centers, the film’s ability to sustain repeat audiences appears limited compared to Rajinikanth’s earlier projects. Also Read: Scary Movie 6 Gets 2 Powerhouse Stars Back, Anna Faris and Regina Hall

Audience feedback points to strong action sequences and Rajinikanth’s screen presence as highlights, but some critics argue that the film lacks the freshness expected from a Lokesh Kanagaraj project. This mixed word of mouth may also be contributing to the slower pace at the box office.

Internationally, however, Coolie has fared better, with significant contributions from markets such as the UAE, Singapore, and Malaysia, where Rajinikanth enjoys a loyal fan base. These overseas collections have boosted the global total and kept the film in the spotlight despite its domestic slowdown.

Conclusion

Coolie box office numbers tell a story of both success and struggle. While the film has crossed ₹439 crore worldwide in just nine days and is likely to enter the ₹500 crore club soon, its slowing domestic collections raise questions about long-term profitability. For Rajinikanth, the film adds another big-ticket release to his career, but it falls short of matching the box office dominance of Jailer and 2.0. With eyes already turning to Jailer 2, fans and industry watchers are waiting to see if that sequel will restore the superstar’s box office supremacy.