Rajinikanth’s latest blockbuster Coolie is rewriting box office history just three days into its release.  The film, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has become the fastest Tamil film to cross ₹300 crore globally, surpassing previous records held by films like Leo, 2.0 and Jailer.

Released on August 14, 2025, ahead of the Independence Day weekend, Coolie took full advantage of the holiday season. Despite competing directly with War 2 starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, Rajinikanth’s action entertainer has surged ahead in both domestic and international markets.

Coolie 3-Day box office collection:

  • India net collection: ₹158.25 crore
  • India gross collection: ₹187 crore
  • Overseas collection: ₹133–138 crore (approx.)
  • Worldwide gross total: ₹320–325 crore (as per early estimates)
     
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On its opening day, the Thalaivar movie earned ₹65 crore net in India. It followed with ₹54.75 crore on Day 2 (Friday) and ₹38.5 crore on Day 3 (Saturday), according to industry tracker Sacnilk. The Tamil version of Coolie led with the highest contribution, while Hindi and Telugu dubbed versions also performed well across regions.

In international markets, Coolie has broken several records. It crossed $15 million in overseas earnings within three days. In North America, it crossed the $5.5 million mark, while in Australia and New Zealand, it became the fastest Tamil film to touch the $1 million milestone.

Surpasses Vettaiyan, Empuraan and other major films

Coolie has already surpassed the lifetime earnings of Rajinikanth’s previous release Vettaiyan (₹146.89 crore), Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly (₹180 crore) and even the much-hyped L2: Empuraan starring Mohanlal and Prithviraj (₹265 crore worldwide). On Day 3, it also beat the lifetime gross of Bollywood’s Sitaare Zameen Par and Housefull 5.

In France, Coolie set a new benchmark by selling 8,800 tickets on opening day, breaking the previous record of 8,500 set by Vijay’s Leo.

Coolie vs War 2: The box office face-off

War 2, directed by Ayan Mukerji and starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, also had a strong opening. However, by Day 3, its momentum slowed. War 2 collected ₹52 crore on Thursday, ₹57.35 crore on Friday, and dropped to ₹33 crore on Saturday, bringing its India total to ₹142.35 crore—still behind Coolie's ₹158.25 crore.

While War 2 saw strong occupancy in Hindi circuits initially, it was Coolie that maintained consistent numbers across all versions. Tamil occupancy on Day 3 averaged nearly 66 percent, with Chennai and other Tier 1 cities reporting above 85 percent evening show attendance.

Star power and mass appeal drive success
 

Despite mixed critical reviews, Coolie continues to benefit from Rajinikanth’s enduring star power and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s massy direction. Audiences have also praised performances by Nagarjuna (as the main antagonist), Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, and Aamir Khan, who makes a cameo.

Trade analysts suggest that if the current pace continues, Coolie is likely to enter the elite ₹600 crore club soon. Only three Tamil films have previously crossed that mark—2.0, Jailer, and Leo. Two of them starred Rajinikanth.

What’s next for Coolie?

With strong word-of-mouth and growing demand overseas, Coolie could not only surpass Leo and Jailer but also challenge 2.0's status as the highest-grossing Tamil film ever. The film’s pan-India performance across languages positions it well for continued box office domination in the coming weeks.