Coolie marked the first collaboration between Superstar Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj. The biggie carried sky-high hype right from the announcement, and the excitement multiplied as the film neared release. Coolie took the biggest start ever for a Tamil film, but collections kept dropping thereafter, and the film never managed to recover.
According to trade reports, Coolie has earned about Rs. 450 crores gross so far and is expected to wrap up below Rs. 500 crores in its lifetime. The film, which was initially believed to become Kollywood’s first Rs. 1000 crore grosser, will now finish behind the likes of 2.0, Leo, and Jailer. Distributors in major areas will reportedly be facing losses.
Commercially, Coolie will be the first setback for Lokesh Kanagaraj. The director’s reputation has also taken a hit with Leo and Coolie, though the former ultimately turned out to be a profitable venture. The filmmaker now needs a strong comeback to prove his mettle once again amidst a flurry of trolls.