Rajinikanth’s action thriller Coolie (released on August 14) opened to a huge response despite clashing with Ayan Mukerji’s War 2 (starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR). As per industry tracker Sacnilk, Coolie collected Rs 65 crore net in India on its first day. This is the biggest domestic opening day of Rajinikanth’s career.
Coolie Box Office Collection Day 1: Rajinikanth Starrer Fails To Surpass LEO’s Opening
Director Lokesh Kanagaraj, known for his gripping films, got a strong start. Coolie outperformed most films in his Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). Kaithi earned Rs 6.4 crore on day one, while Kamal Haasan’s Vikram collected Rs 37.5 crore. The only LCU film Coolie could not surpass was Leo, starring Vijay, Trisha Krishnan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Sarja, which opened at Rs 76.2 crore in 2023 and went on to earn Rs 341 crore domestically.
For Rajinikanth, Coolie leaves behind several previous big openings. TJ Gnanavel’s Vettaiyan earned Rs 31.5 crore, Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer made Rs 48.35 crore, Karthik Subbaraj’s Petta opened at Rs 14 crore, and S Shankar’s 2.0 collected Rs 23 crore on day one. Achieving Rs 65 crore despite competition from War 2, which collected Rs 52 crore on its opening day, shows Rajinikanth’s continued box office pull.
Strong Occupancy And Audience Response
Coolie maintained high occupancy rates throughout the day. Morning shows recorded 81.95%, afternoon shows 85.13%, evening shows 86.57%, and night shows peaked at 94.32%, giving an overall average of 86.99%. The strong turnout highlights how fans are eager to watch Rajinikanth on the big screen.
The film features an ensemble cast including Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Aamir Khan, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj. Produced by Sun Pictures, it is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj with music by Anirudh Ravichander. Fans have praised Rajinikanth’s performance, calling it one of the strongest of his career.
While Coolie could not beat Leo’s record-breaking opening, its Rs 65 crore Day 1 collection cements Rajinikanth’s pan-India appeal. The film will rely on word-of-mouth to maintain its box office momentum, especially with other releases competing for attention.
