As Rajinikanth gears up for the release of his 171st film, "Coolie," scheduled for August 14, 2025, it's time to reflect on the box office journey of this cinematic icon over the decades. From his early roles to his reign as a superstar, Rajinikanth has consistently captivated audiences and redefined the landscape of Indian cinema.

Rajinikanth, born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad on December 12, 1950, began his career in 1975 with K. Balachander's "Apoorva Raagangal". In his initial years, he often portrayed antagonistic characters, as seen in films like "Moondru Mudichu" (1976) and "16 Vayadhinile" (1977). However, director S.P. Muthuraman recognized his potential and cast him in a positive role in "Bhuvana Oru Kelvikuri" (1977), which became a turning point. This collaboration marked the beginning of a successful partnership that spanned 24 films until the 1990s. By 1978, Rajinikanth was incredibly prolific, starring in 20 releases across Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada languages. Films like "Shankar Salim Simon" and "Kiladi Kittu" showcased his versatility early in his career.

The 1980s cemented Rajinikanth's position as a leading star. "Billa" (1980), a remake of Amitabh Bachchan's "Don," was a massive commercial success and gave him the action hero image that would define much of his career. Films like "Murattu Kaalai" (1980) further solidified his status. He also experimented with comedy in "Thillu Mullu" (1981), a remake of "Gol Maal," proving his ability to handle diverse roles. "Moondru Mugam" (1982), where he played triple roles, earned him a special prize at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. In 1984, "Nallavanukku Nallavan" won him the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor. This decade saw him balance Tamil hits with forays into Hindi cinema, including "Andha Kanoon" (1983), which was a major success.

The 1990s marked Rajinikanth's superstardom. "Panakkaran" (1990), a remake of "Laawaris," was a blockbuster. His collaboration with Mani Ratnam in "Thalapathi" (1991) earned him critical acclaim. However, it was his collaborations with Suresh Krissna, particularly "Annaamalai" (1992) and "Baashha" (1995), that propelled him to unparalleled heights. "Baashha" became the highest-grossing Tamil film for many years and solidified his demigod status. Other notable successes include "Mannan" (1992), "Uzhaippali" (1993), "Muthu" (1995), which was also a hit in Japan, and "Padayappa" (1999), which surpassed "Baashha" as the highest-grossing Tamil film.

In the 2000s, Rajinikanth continued to dominate the box office. While "Baba" (2002) did not meet expectations despite high hype, "Chandramukhi" (2005) was a massive success, running for 890 days in theaters. "Sivaji" (2007), directed by S. Shankar, was a landmark film, becoming the first Tamil film to be charted as one of the "top-ten best films" in the United Kingdom and South Africa box offices upon release. He received a salary of ₹260 million for his role, which was the highest in his film career at that time.

The 2010s saw Rajinikanth venture into science fiction with "Enthiran" (2010), again directed by Shankar. Made at a cost of over ₹100 crore, it was considered India's most expensive film at the time and had a huge worldwide opening. "Kochadaiiyaan" (2014), directed by his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth, was India's first photorealistic motion capture film but received mixed responses. "Lingaa" (2014) had a big opening but did not sustain its success. However, he bounced back strongly with "Kabali" (2016) and "2.0" (2018), the latter being a sci-fi action extravaganza that broke box office records, especially in the Hindi and Chinese markets.

In recent years, Rajinikanth has continued to deliver hits, including "Petta" (2019), "Darbar" (2020), "Annaatthe" (2021), and "Jailer" (2023), which became one of the biggest Tamil blockbusters of all time. As Rajinikanth prepares for "Coolie," directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film is already generating immense buzz. The release date is set for August 14, 2025, and the film boasts an ensemble cast, including Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, and possibly Aamir Khan in a cameo. However, it may face competition from Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's "War 2" at the box office. Following "Coolie," Rajinikanth is also slated to appear in "Jailer 2," with filming scheduled to begin in March 2025 and a release planned for 2026. Throughout his illustrious career, Rajinikanth has won numerous awards, including a National Film Award and multiple Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. He was also honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2000, the Padma Vibhushan in 2016, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2019 for his contributions to Indian cinema.