Rajinikanth's upcoming film Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is generating immense buzz and shattering box office records even before its release on August 14, 2025. The film is creating a frenzy with its advance bookings, both domestically and internationally.
Hindi Market Performance
As of August 11, 2025, Coolie had sold approximately 13,500 tickets in top Hindi cinema chains for its opening day. With momentum increasing, projections estimate final ticket sales could reach close to 50,000, potentially leading to an opening of over ₹6 crore in the Hindi market. However, Coolie faces competition from War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, which may impact its screen count and prime-time show availability in the North. Despite the competition, Coolie is expected to earn around ₹5 crore net in Hindi on its opening day. Some reports indicate that Coolie has sold three times more tickets than War 2 in the Hindi market.
Worldwide Advance Bookings
Coolie's worldwide advance bookings have surpassed ₹50 crore, demonstrating strong overseas sales, particularly in North America, where it exceeded Leo's premiere record. As of August 10, 2025, international pre-sales for the opening day reached over ₹37 crore, heading towards ₹50 crore. The film has secured USD 5.05 million globally in advance weekend ticket sales, including USD 3.85 million for its opening day. In the USA, Coolie has already outpaced Leo's performance, with USD 1.85 million in pre-sales and is set to surpass Kabali's premiere record.
Overall Box Office Projections
Trade analysts predict that Coolie could make ₹100-150 crore globally on its opening day. Some analysts anticipate the film could cross ₹100 crore in India alone and potentially reach ₹150 crore globally. The film's worldwide pre-sales have already crossed ₹51 crore for the opening day. With the momentum expected to accelerate, Coolie is on track to potentially score over ₹100 crore in pre-sales gross for its first day.
Record-Breaking Potential
Coolie is poised to potentially break the all-time Tamil film advance booking record of ₹46 crore, previously set by Leo. The domestic pre-sales have already overtaken Jailer's ₹18 crore India pre-sales record. The film is also expected to have one of the largest openings in the history of Indian cinema.
Factors Influencing Success
Several factors contribute to the film's anticipated success:
Clash with War 2
Coolie faces a significant box office clash with War 2, which could impact its performance, particularly in the Hindi-speaking regions. However, Coolie is currently leading in advance bookings.
₹1000 Crore Target
Some trade analysts believe that Coolie has the potential to become the first-ever Tamil film to cross the ₹1,000 crore mark. To achieve this, the film needs to perform exceptionally well in the Hindi market.
In conclusion, Coolie is exhibiting extraordinary pre-release buzz and impressive advance bookings. Whether it can sustain this momentum and achieve record-breaking box office numbers remains to be seen, but the film is undoubtedly set for a massive opening.
