Rajinikanth's "Coolie" is off to a blazing start at the box office, while "War 2," starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, is also making a strong showing. Both films were released on August 14, 2025, clashing at the box office during the Indian Independence Day weekend.
"Coolie" Box Office Performance
On its second day, "Coolie" has reportedly earned ₹53.50 crore in India across all languages, according to early estimates. This brings the film's total domestic net collection to approximately ₹118.50 crore in just two days. Some reports suggest the film has already crossed ₹100 crore in India.
The Tamil version of "Coolie" is performing exceptionally well, with an occupancy rate of 96.50% in Chennai. The Hindi version has also shown growth, with an estimated ₹6.5 crore net collection on day 2, bringing its total to around ₹11 crore. The Telugu version is also performing strongly, with an 85.42% occupancy rate.
Despite a slight drop in occupancy on the second day, "Coolie" is poised to become the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2025 in India, potentially surpassing Ajith Kumar's "Good Bad Ugly". Industry analysts predict that "Coolie" could comfortably exceed ₹200 crore by Sunday night.
"War 2" Box Office Performance
"War 2" has also made a strong debut, earning ₹79.95 crore worldwide by the end of its second day. The film's domestic net collection on its opening day was ₹52.5 crore. On its second day, coinciding with Independence Day, "War 2" saw an increase in viewership, with early trade reports indicating a collection of ₹46 crore, bringing the total domestic net collection to nearly ₹98 crore.
"War 2" has recorded the biggest opening for a Bollywood film in 2025. It is also the biggest worldwide opening in Hrithik Roshan's career. However, the film needs to earn at least ₹650 crore in domestic net collections to be considered a commercial hit, given its ₹325 crore budget.
Clash of the Titans
Despite the stiff competition from "War 2," "Coolie" has managed to maintain a slight lead at the box office. Analysts attribute this to Rajinikanth's dedicated fan base, widespread appeal across South India, nostalgic storytelling, aggressive promotions, and strong emotional connection with the masses.
"War 2" stars Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani. "Coolie" features Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and Shruti Haasan.
Reviews
Reviews for "Coolie" have been mixed. Some critics praise Rajinikanth's commanding screen presence and Anirudh Ravichander's music, while others find the film's storyline overstuffed and disjointed. Some reviews noted that the violence in "Coolie" wasn't the gratifying kind, nor shot with cinematic taste, nor manages to shock.
"War 2" has also received mixed reviews from critics.
Future Projections
Both "Coolie" and "War 2" are expected to continue their strong performance at the box office throughout the Independence Day weekend. It remains to be seen which film will ultimately emerge as the winner of this box office clash.
Rajinikanth's next movie after "Coolie" is "Jailer 2," which is scheduled to begin shooting in March 2025 and release in 2026. "War 2" will be available for streaming on Netflix after its theatrical run.
