By Krishna Dua 
Coolie Advance Booking Crosses ₹50 Cr & 1.2M Tickets Sold
Superstar Rajinikanth’s Coolie Shatters Box Office Records with Historic Pre-Sales, Surpassing Global Expectations
The highly anticipated cinematic event of the year, Coolie, starring superstar Rajinikanth, is setting the box office on fire even before its official release. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film’s advance bookings have created a global frenzy, with the latest figures indicating a monumental pre-release collection that cements its status as one of the biggest Indian film openings of all time. As of Tuesday, August 12, the worldwide advance booking gross for Coolie has reportedly surged past ₹65 crore, with domestic and international markets contributing to a historic pre-sales run that is still gaining momentum.
The Indian Box Office Dominance: A Record-Breaking Frenzy
In India, the demand for tickets has been nothing short of extraordinary. The initial phase of advance bookings, which commenced in a staggered fashion, saw a rapid sell-out of shows across major cities. According to trade analysts, the film has already sold nearly 900,000 tickets for its opening day, amassing a first-day gross of over ₹19 crore in India alone. This figure, while still growing, already places it in an elite category of Indian films. The excitement is particularly palpable in Tamil Nadu, where the native version is leading the charge and contributing the bulk of the domestic collection. The fever for the Rajinikanth starrer has led to several companies declaring a holiday on the film’s release date, August 14, to allow employees to celebrate what is being called a “thiruvizha” (festival). With bookings expected to accelerate in multiplexes and single-screen theatres in the final hours, industry experts predict the total number of tickets sold could very well cross the 1.2 million mark, a milestone that would be a fitting tribute to Rajinikanth’s enduring star power as he celebrates 50 years in cinema.
North America & Overseas: Setting a New Global Benchmark
The phenomenon of Coolie’s pre-sales is not limited to India. The film has made history in North America, becoming the first-ever Tamil film to breach the coveted $2 million barrier in premiere pre-sales. The total North America premiere gross stands at a staggering $2.10 million, with the USA alone contributing over $1.85 million. This unprecedented performance has broken the nine-year-old record held by Rajinikanth’s own film, Kabali, which had a premiere gross of $1.92 million. The numbers are a testament to the superstar’s massive fanbase among the Indian diaspora and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s directorial brand, which has created a storm with his action-heavy “Lokiverse” films. Reports from other key international markets, including Germany and Malaysia, also indicate record-high advance ticket sales and sold-out shows, with the international advance booking total currently standing at over ₹40 crore.
The Box Office Showdown: Coolie vs. War 2
The release of Coolie on August 14 sets up a major box office clash with the highly anticipated Bollywood spy thriller War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR. While both films boast immense star power and a pan-Indian appeal, the advance booking numbers reveal a clear lead for the Rajinikanth starrer. War 2, which is also showing promising numbers with a Day 1 India advance gross of over ₹4 crore and North American premiere sales of around $520K, is playing to a different demographic. However, the sheer pace and scale of Coolie’s worldwide advance booking suggest that it is dominating the conversation and setting a new benchmark for opening day collections. Trade analysts believe the pre-sales for Coolie could potentially double before its release, with an eye on achieving a historic ₹100 crore worldwide opening day—a feat that would not only be a career-best for Rajinikanth but a landmark moment for Indian cinema.
The overwhelming response to Coolie in advance bookings underscores the undeniable magic of a Rajinikanth film and the strong creative vision of director Lokesh Kanagaraj. The box office pre-sales, which have broken multiple records, are a strong indicator of a colossal opening and a potentially historic run for the film.