Having worked with an array of top stars, including Karthi, Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Suriya (in a cameo), Fahadh Faasil, Kamal Haasan, “Action King” Arjun, and Sanjay Dutt over just five films, the highly talented filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj is back with Coolie. This time, he’s assembled an electrifying all-star cast across industries. Soubin Shahir from the Malayalam industry, Sathyaraj and Shruti Haasan from Tamil, Nagarjuna from Telugu, Upendra from Kannada, and Aamir Khan from Bollywood, all led by none other than Superstar Rajinikanth, with music by Anirudh and a special dance number by the elegant Pooja Hegde. The pre-release buzz is nothing short of phenomenal, with skyrocketing pre-sales bookings and excitement soaring to stratospheric levels, as fans anticipate Tamil cinema’s first-ever 1000 crore film at the box office. Adding to the anticipation, Coolie arrives in a milestone year for Rajinikanth, marking his 50th year in cinema, a celebration of an iconic career that meets the vision of one of Tamil cinema’s most exciting modern filmmakers. From his gripping debut in Maanagaram to the blockbuster Leo, Lokesh has been on an unbroken winning streak. The only question now is, can Coolie take that legacy to even greater heights?
The film opens in Visakhapatnam harbour, where a coolie is working undercover and explaining the gold-smuggling network run by crime lord Simon Xavier (Nagarjuna) and his ruthless right-hand man Dayal (Soubin Shahir), who commands an entire port of workers. We are then taken to Chennai, where Deva (Rajinikanth), a mansion owner, lives a quiet life. In a parallel track, we meet Preethi (Shruti Haasan), the eldest daughter of Rajasekar (Sathyaraj), Deva’s close friend. When Rajasekar dies under mysterious circumstances, Deva begins investigating, only to find himself and Rajasekar’s daughters trapped in Simon’s dangerous syndicate. On paper, this premise is enough to excite any cinephile. The opening sequences create strong momentum with the menacing entry of Dayal, followed by Rajinikanth’s grand introduction and the high-energy Chikitu song, a pure theatre vibe. Unfortunately, the pace soon dips, weighed down by illogical narrative stretches, sluggish investigative sequences, and underwritten characters. Multiple subplots are introduced but remain unexplored, and action sequences, surprisingly for a Lokesh Kanagaraj film, lack the expected punch. Still, certain moments shine: Rajinikanth’s trademark mass scenes, the well-handled flashback portions, and the Monica dance number, which blends seamlessly into the story.
Lokesh Kanagaraj deserves credit for making a film tailored to Rajinikanth’s fans, but the writing and staging of action sequences involving the Superstar feel unexpectedly underwhelming, especially when compared to his crisp and impactful work in Maanagaram, Kaithi, Master, Vikram, and Leo. The villains, too, are underserved, a pattern reminiscent of the Antony Das and Harold Das arc in Leo.
Rajinikanth owns the screen with his magnetic style and commanding presence. His style moments evoke the same childlike excitement fans have felt for decades, though the emotional beats feel less convincing. Nagarjuna oozes style and menace as Simon Xavier, but his character is poorly fleshed out and fails to match the gravitas of Vijay Sethupathi’s Bhavani (Master) or Arjun Das’s Anbu (Kaithi). Soubin Shahir, as Dayal, emerges as the film’s standout, a chilling villain with a solid arc and ample screen time. Upendra has fleeting moments but is introduced too late to make an impact. Aamir Khan’s cameo as Dahaa feels unnecessary, lacking the impact of something like Suriya’s Rolex in Vikram. Sathyaraj, despite the potential for a pivotal role, is wasted due to weak writing. Shruti Haasan plays her part but struggles with Tamil dialogue delivery. Pooja Hegde’s special appearance in Monica is a visual delight, where she owns the screen with her elegance and graceful dancing.
De-ageing effects for the flashback sequences are commendable, but colour grading and VFX in these portions are noticeably subpar and distracting. Anirudh Ravichander, the Thalaivar fanboy, delivers yet again with chartbusters like Chikitu, Monica, and Powerhouse, which are utilised perfectly in the film alongside an adrenaline-pumping background score that elevates multiple scenes, a continuation of his magic from previous Rajinikanth films such as Petta, Jailer, and Vettaiyan.
Coolie is a mixed bag, which somewhat succeeds in celebrating the Superstar that Rajinikanth is, which works best for his die-hard fans, thanks to the electrifying mass moments and Anirudh’s music, while falling flat in its storyline and screenplay. For general audiences, its poor storyline, screenplay, wasted ensemble cast, and poor direction of action sequences are what prevent it from reaching the potential it had and its pre-release hype. It surely is a missed opportunity for the most sought-after filmmaker in South India, collaborating with arguably India’s biggest superstar.
Rating: 2.5/5