Rajinikanth Roars and the Screenplay Staggers in Coolie
A grounded review of Coolie! (Image TRH)
Lokesh Kanagaraj’s star-studded actioner rides on vintage Thalaivar swagger and Anirudh’s thump as fans celebrate release of Coolie.
By TRH Entertainment Desk
NEW DELHI, August 14, 2025 — Coolie arrives like a festival. In Chennai, DT Next captured the mood at dawn shows: “frenzied fans” thronged theatres as Rajinikanth’s latest landed on the eve of his 50 years in cinema, turning release day into a mini-mela.
Lokesh Kanagaraj mounts a broad-shouldered, old-school vendetta—grit, neon, and whistle cues—built to showcase Thalaivar’s magnetism. Rajinikanth’s gait, timing, and punchlines are the motor; Anirudh Ravichander’s background score keeps the RPM high. Nagarjuna and Soubin Shahir get standout beats; Shruti Haasan and Sathyaraj service the plot.
Chennai edition of ToI in a review described the film as “a high-voltage mansion set-piece (already a fan clip-favourite) is textbook mass cinema. But beneath the swagger, the writing doesn’t always click—threads pile up, and momentum frays after interval.” Cinema Express noted the split verdict, with social posts praising Rajinikanth’s presence while calling the screenplay “mixed.” It highlighted a representative X take calling the film “AVERAGE” with “weak content & clumsy screenplay.”
DT Next chronicled the political-turned-cinephile cheer: Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin said he “enjoyed the power-packed mass entertainer” after a special screening. Thanthi TV primed expectations ahead of release with an “Average story” first look from early chatter, and ran live FDFS coverage—useful context for why opinions felt volatile by showtime.
Samayam Tamil amplified the other side of the aisle: X reactions hailing an “ஒன் மேன் ஷோ” (one-man show), “பிளாக்பஸ்டர்,” and even wild ₹1,000-crore chatter—an indicator of fan sentiment if not sober forecasting.
The X factor (literally)
The most-circulated early posts hit the same fault line:
- “Clumsy screenplay, no content… Avg #Coolie,” reads a blunt FDFS post spotlighted by The Indian Express’ live blog.
- Other threads praise the “vintage swag,” with some calling it a straight-up “one-man show,” while arguing over a celebrity cameo that “disrupts the flow.”
Verdict
Coolie is unabashed event cinema—designed for the hoots, not hushed contemplation. When it’s purring, it’s pure Rajinikanth: posture, panache, punch. When it slows, you feel the weight of a plot trying to be bigger than its spine. If you sign up for Thalaivar energy and Anirudh adrenaline, you’ll get your money’s worth. If you’re chasing the tightness of Lokesh’s Vikram, temper expectations.
Watch it for: Rajinikanth’s charisma, the mansion mayhem, and Anirudh’s pulse. Brace for: An uneven second half and divisive cameos.
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