Coolie Karnataka Advance Booking: Rajinikanth-Upendra Film Beats KGF 2, Leo In Bengaluru Ticket Sales Speed

Coolie Karnataka Pre-Sales: Advance bookings for Coolie, the upcoming Tamil action thriller starring Rajinikanth, have drawn strong interest in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru. The first phase of ticket sales opened on Saturday, and according to industry tracker Christopher Kanagaraj, the film became the fastest in the city to sell its initial 10,000 tickets, achieving the feat in just 37 minutes across 66 shows. This surpassed previous records held by KGF Chapter 2 (45 minutes, fewer than 80 shows) and Leo (50 minutes, 300 shows).

Rajinikanth-Lokesh Kanagaraj Collaboration Nears Release

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and backed by Kalanithi Maran's Sun Pictures, Coolie is scheduled to hit cinemas worldwide on August 14, 2025. The film features an ensemble cast with Rajinikanth in the lead role alongside Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, and Aamir Khan. The supporting lineup includes Rachita Ram, Reba Monica John, Junior MGR, Kanna Ravi, Monisha Blessy, Kaali Venkat, Rishikanth, Tamizh, and Charle. Pooja Hegde makes a cameo appearance in a song sequence.

The narrative, as described by the British Board of Film Classification, follows Deva, a mysterious figure who takes on a corrupt syndicate accused of exploiting and mistreating coolie workers in a coastal port town. The board has rated the film for "strong bloody violence" and threat elements.

The film was initially revealed in September 2023 with the tentative title Thalaivar 171, signifying Rajinikanth's 171st leading role. Its official title, Coolie, was revealed in April 2024. Principal photography commenced in July 2024 in Chennai and included subsequent schedules reportedly in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, and Bangkok. Filming concluded by mid-March 2025.

The technical team features Anirudh Ravichander as music composer, Girish Gangadharan as cinematographer, and Philomin Raj as editor. Lokesh Kanagaraj co-wrote the screenplay with Chandhru Anbazhagan.

With just days remaining before release, ticket sales in other regions are expected to follow a similar upward trend. Bengaluru's rapid booking pace suggests strong anticipation for Coolie in Karnataka, and industry analysts will be monitoring whether the film's pre-release performance can match or exceed these early records once more screens and shows are added in the coming week.