No matter how big a film is, nowadays it is turning into a three-day or four-day movie. If a movie manages to get good bookings and fill theaters even on the first Monday after release, then it is counted as a super hit. On August 14, Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan–NTR starrer War 2 clashed at the box office. With the crucial four days having passed, the discussion has now shifted to who the winner is. Interestingly, even though both films received average reviews, it is Rajinikanth’s Coolie that has emerged as the hit. Not only that, this film has also set several new records. Despite the negative talk that came after its release, Rajinikanth’s image carried the film forward, according to discussions. War 2, produced by Yash Raj Films, was released in as many as 4,500 screens.
Made with a budget of nearly ₹400 crore, the film collected ₹173 crore net in India in its first weekend. By this calculation, there is talk that achieving breakeven will be difficult. On the other hand, Coolie was released in 3,000 theaters. However, reports show that this film managed to collect ₹194 crore net in India. Compared to War 2, Coolie is also creating a storm in the overseas market. The gap between the two films is quite wide. Despite Hrithik Roshan and NTR starring together and having the advantage of the massive Hindi market, War 2 has fallen far behind Coolie, which has now become a hot topic. Trade circles believe that the loyalty of Rajinikanth’s fans, even at his age of 74, has played a key role in the success of Coolie. By Monday, bookings for both films declined significantly, but Coolie still had stronger bookings than War 2.