Rajinikanth’s Coolie storms past ₹250 crore worldwide in just 2 days — sets new record for Tamil cinema

At 74, Rajinikanth has proven yet again why he’s still the undisputed superstar of Tamil cinema. His latest film Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has smashed its way past the ₹250 crore mark at the worldwide box office in just two days — making it the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2025 so far.

Released on the eve of Independence Day, Coolie capitalised on the national holiday to record another bumper day at the box office. After a strong opening, the film saw only a 17% drop on day two — a rare feat for star-led South Indian films, which typically see a sharp decline after the first-day fan frenzy.

So far, the film has earned ₹118.5 crore net (₹145 crore gross) in India in just two days. Its overseas performance has been equally remarkable. Coolie grossed $8.75 million on day one — the highest ever for a Tamil film — and crossed $13 million (₹110 crore) by the end of day two, despite August 15 not being a holiday outside India.

This brings the film’s total worldwide collection to well over ₹250 crore in just 48 hours.

The film’s phenomenal start also reignites the debate over who holds the top spot in Tamil cinema. In recent years, fans have argued that Vijay or Ajith Kumar may have overtaken Rajinikanth as the industry’s biggest draw. But the numbers suggest otherwise. In just two days, Coolie has already surpassed the lifetime earnings of both Ajith's Vidaamuyarchi (₹138 crore) and Good Bad Ugly (₹248 crore). It has also overtaken other major Tamil hits of the year, including Dragon (₹150 crore), and that too before hitting its first Saturday.

Trade analysts are now predicting that Coolie could cross ₹400 crore globally by the end of its opening weekend. If it keeps up this pace, the film could even challenge the all-time Tamil box office record held by 2.0, which earned ₹691 crore worldwide — also starring Rajinikanth.

Coolie stars Rajinikanth in the titular role and features a star-studded ensemble including Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, and a special cameo by Aamir Khan.

The verdict is clear: Rajinikanth still reigns supreme, and Coolie is shaping up to be one of the biggest blockbusters of his legendary career.