Superstar Rajinikanth has once again proven his unparalleled star power. His latest film, Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has made a sensational debut at the global box office, breaking several records on its opening day. With its combination of strong domestic performance and unprecedented success in overseas markets, Coolie has delivered one of the biggest starts for an Indian film in history.
Record-Breaking Collections on Day 1
According to early estimates from Sacnilk, Coolie earned a net collection of ₹65 crore in India on its opening day. This makes it the second-best domestic opening for a Tamil film, just behind Vijay’s Leo (₹66 crore) and ahead of Rajinikanth’s own 2.0 (₹60 crore). The film’s gross domestic collection is estimated to be around ₹80 crore.
However, it’s the worldwide collection that has truly cemented the film’s historic status. Sun Pictures, the film’s production house, announced that Coolie grossed an astounding ₹151 crore globally on its first day. This figure makes it the highest-opening Tamil film in history, surpassing Leo‘s record of ₹142.5 crore.
Overseas Records Tumble
Coolie has been a phenomenal success in international markets, setting new all-time records for a Tamil film in multiple territories:
- North America: $3.04 million
- UK: £124K
- Australia: Aus $535K
This remarkable worldwide opening places Coolie in the top 10 highest-opening Indian films of all time, outperforming the Day 1 collections of major blockbusters like Jawan (₹126 crore), Animal (₹116 crore), and Pathaan (₹104 crore).
The film’s performance also easily surpassed the opening of Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR’s War 2, which opened to an estimated worldwide collection of ₹90-95 crore.
Star-Studded Cast Powers Success
The film’s success is attributed to Rajinikanth’s iconic presence, as well as a powerful supporting cast. The addition of Nagarjuna and Upendra, along with a cameo from Aamir Khan, is believed to have contributed to the film’s strong performance, particularly in its Telugu and Hindi-dubbed versions.
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the action thriller also stars Shruti Haasan, Soubin Shahir, and Sathyaraj. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the audience turnout has not been affected.
The strong opening day positions Coolie for a massive opening weekend, with projections suggesting it could cross the ₹300 crore mark by Sunday. If the momentum continues, the film has a real chance to become the highest-grossing Tamil film ever, a record currently held by 2.0 with a worldwide collection of ₹691 crore.