Two of the year’s most anticipated big-budget films, War 2 and Coolie, hit cinemas yesterday, sparking huge interest in the industry. With both titles clashing at the box office, trade circles were eager to see which would take the lead in collections and audience reception.
In North America, however, the picture became clear on day one, Rajinikanth’s Coolie comfortably outperformed War 2. According to official box office data, Coolie earned $811,000 on its opening day in the region, with $253,000 coming solely from its Telugu version. In comparison, War 2 managed $405,000 overall, with the Telugu version contributing just $101,000.
Interestingly, despite the pre-release hype, analysts note that Coolie’s sales came in slightly below early expectations. Even so, its performance in North America was remarkable. In the US and Canada alone, the film grossed $304,000, setting a new record for the highest opening for a Tamil film in the region. It also secured a spot in the top four premieres for Indian films in the market, an achievement largely credited to Rajinikanth’s enduring star power.
Industry experts suggest that breaking Coolie’s Tamil cinema record anytime soon will be a challenge. On a global scale, the film’s impact was even more staggering. Production house Sun Pictures officially announced that Coolie collected ₹151 crore worldwide on its first day, the first time a Tamil film has crossed the ₹150 crore mark on opening day. The previous record-holder was Vijay’s Leo, which earned ₹148.5 crore on day one.
For Rajinikanth, this milestone is unprecedented in his 50-year career. While he has delivered multiple massive blockbusters, none have reached ₹150 crore on opening day, until now.
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie also stars Nagarjuna, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Aamir Khan in key roles, adding to its pan-Indian appeal. With such a roaring start, the film now faces the challenge of sustaining momentum in the days ahead.