The recent release of Rajinikanth's "Coolie," directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has sparked debate regarding its certification by the Censor Board. Elred Kumar, a well-known producer in the Tamil film industry, has voiced his surprise and disappointment over the film receiving an 'A' certificate.

Kumar expressed his views on X (formerly Twitter), stating that while he found "Coolie" to be a fantastic action extravaganza, he believed it didn't warrant an 'A' rating. He also praised Rajinikanth's performance and Anirudh Ravichander's musical score, but questioned why "Coolie" received an 'A' certificate when other language films with similar or higher levels of violence were given a 'U/A' rating. He suggested that the Tamil film fraternity should address this apparent discrepancy.

Elred Kumar isn't alone in his sentiment. Many viewers share the opinion that "Coolie" didn't deserve an 'A' certificate. This decision by the Censor Board has raised eyebrows and caused concern among Rajinikanth's fan base, which includes a significant number of families and children. An 'A' certificate restricts children from watching the film in theaters, potentially impacting the film's reach and box office collections.

Some have requested the filmmakers to pursue a 'UA+16' recertification to broaden the film's accessibility. Despite the 'A' certificate, "Coolie" has performed exceptionally well at the box office. Sun Pictures, the film's production company, reported that "Coolie" grossed Rs 151 crores worldwide on its first day, making it the highest-ever day one gross for a Tamil film. The film has also achieved the highest overseas Day 1 gross for a Tamil film, earning over 8.75 million Dollars. "Coolie" has also become the highest overseas procurement for a Tamil film to date.

Despite the film's success, the 'A' certificate might affect revenue from food and beverage sales and parking at theaters, as families tend to spend more on these items compared to younger audiences.

It is worth noting that Lokesh Kanagaraj is known for directing violent action thrillers such as "Kaithi," "Vikram," and "Leo". In a recent interview, Kanagaraj stated that he made no compromises on the violence in "Coolie" despite Rajinikanth's presence. He affirmed that the film would have all the emotions that resonate with a family audience but that he didn't want to compromise his grip on the film.

While 20 of Rajinikanth's films have been rated 'A', the last Superstar film to be released with an 'A' certificate was 36 years ago — Siva (1989).