Chennai: Lokesh Kanagaraj’s much-anticipated action drama Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, has stormed the box office even before its release, crossing the ₹100 crore mark in opening weekend pre-sales. The film, set to release on August 14, faces stiff competition from War 2 but continues to dominate ticket bookings.
By 11 AM on release day, Coolie had sold 12,46,828 tickets in India, raking in a gross of ₹27.01 crore from advance sales alone. Tamil language bookings led the charge with over 10 lakh tickets sold, followed by Telugu with over 1 lakh tickets.
Regional Earnings Breakdown (Pre-Sales):
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Tamil Nadu: ₹11.97 crore
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Andhra Pradesh: ₹1.46 crore
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Telangana: ₹1.69 crore
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Karnataka: ₹6.85 crore
In India, the film’s opening weekend pre-sales are pegged at ₹50 crore, while overseas markets have contributed an estimated ₹60 crore, including ₹45 crore for opening day alone. In total, Coolie has already crossed ₹110 crore in advance bookings, with ₹80 crore from its first day itself — and numbers are still climbing.
Record-Breaking Overseas Run
The Rajinikanth-starrer has created history in the United States by becoming the first Tamil film to gross over $2 million in premiere pre-sales. Industry watchers are now keen to see if Coolie can surpass the opening day record of Lokesh’s 2023 blockbuster Leo, which earned ₹142.70 crore worldwide on day one.
About the Film
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie features a powerhouse cast including Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Aamir Khan. While the plot remains closely guarded, the British Board of Film Classification describes it as the story of a mysterious man who stands up against a corrupt syndicate exploiting workers in a port town.
With massive pre-release hype, record-breaking overseas sales, and a star-studded cast, Coolie is poised to be one of the biggest Tamil cinema events of 2024.
