MENU

Coolie Review: X (Twitter) divided over Rajinikanth’s mass action drama

Statesman News Service

Image Source: X


Coolie Review: The much-awaited ‘Coolie’ has finally landed in cinemas, and the chatter on X (formerly Twitter) is… complicated.

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Sun Pictures’ Kalanithi Maran, this Tamil action thriller stars an ensemble headed by Rajinikanth, with Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, and even Aamir Khan in a special role.

The premise is classic mass cinema: Rajinikanth plays Devaraj “Deva”, a former coolie union leader who takes on a corrupt syndicate exploiting labourers in a bustling port town. With big stakes, bigger personalities, and plenty of slow-motion swagger, ‘Coolie’ promised to be a festival for fans.

But once the curtains lifted, the reactions were far from unanimous.

What people loved

Rajinikanth’s screen presence is still the talk of the town. Many fans on X posted clips of his intro scene. His charisma, style, and timing drew loud cheers in theatres. Nagarjuna’s Simon Xavier is also winning praise for his composed yet fierce performance, especially in his intense confrontations with Deva.

Some viewers are calling Soubin Shahir’s Dayalan “the best-written villain in a Lokesh film yet,” and Aamir Khan’s surprise cameo got a lot of “did not see that coming” reactions. Upendra and Sathyaraj brought weight to the supporting cast, while Shruti Haasan earned points for adding emotional depth.

Where it fell short

But for every fan praising it, there’s another who walked out unconvinced. Some on X felt the film leaned too heavily on Rajinikanth’s star power, sacrificing a tighter, more gripping storyline. One user wrote, “First half was fire, second half lost the plot.”

Others found the pacing uneven, with emotional scenes dragging on while certain subplots were left hanging. A few even called the screenplay “predictable” despite Lokesh’s usual flair for twists.

Box office clash with ‘War 2’

The release alongside ‘War 2’ has only added to the drama. Before opening day, estimates for ‘Coolie’ were around ₹80-90 crore, but last-minute buzz pushed projections to ₹100 crore. With the Independence Day holiday in play, analysts still expect a strong first week, somewhere between ₹350-400 crore.

What X is saying

The timeline is split right down the middle.

Positive ‘Coolie’ review:

Critical posts:

Some users are even creating side-by-side meme polls comparing ‘Coolie’ to ‘War 2’, sparking heated debates in comment threads.

‘Coolie’ is a film that delivers exactly what some fans wanted: mass moments, hero worship, stylish action, and yet leaves others wishing for more depth and sharper storytelling.

Rajinikanth’s energy, Nagarjuna’s intensity, and Lokesh’s visual style give it plenty of firepower, but the film’s uneven pacing and occasional predictability keep it from being a universal crowd-pleaser.

Also Read: Hrithik Roshan celebrates 50 years of Rajinikanth in cinema before ‘Coolie’-‘War 2’ clash

Also Read