Coolie Worldwide Box Office Collection: Rajinikanth Starrer Beats GOAT, Enters All-Time Top 5 Tamil Grossers

Coolie Worldwide Box Office Collection: Rajinikanth's action thriller Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Sun Pictures, has emerged as one of the year's major box office performers. The action thriller, which opened globally on August 14, 2025, has reportedly collected over ₹457 crore worldwide, securing a place in the top five highest-grossing Tamil films of all time.

As per box office tracker Indian Box Office, Coolie now holds the fifth spot, overtaking Vijay's The GOAT. The updated list of the top five Tamil worldwide grossers is led by Shankar's 2.0 (₹700 crore), followed by Leo (₹606 crore), Jailer (₹605 crore), Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 (₹488 crore), and now Coolie (₹457+ crore and still running).

In addition to its performance in India, the film has set a new benchmark in overseas markets. The makers recently announced that Coolie has become the highest-grossing Tamil release in North America, with collections crossing $6.7 million (₹56 crore approx).

Production Journey

Coolie was first announced in September 2023 under the working title Thalaivar 171, marking Rajinikanth's 171st project as a lead actor. The title was officially announced in April 2024, after which shooting kicked off in Chennai in July. The production reportedly spanned multiple locations, including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, and Bangkok, before concluding in March 2025.

Rajinikanth leads the cast as Devaraj "Deva," with Nagarjuna Akkineni, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, Rachita Ram, and Upendra playing key roles. Aamir Khan and Pooja Hegde appear in special roles. The technical team includes Anirudh Ravichander for music, Girish Gangadharan handling cinematography, and editing by Philomin Raj.

Plot Overview

The narrative unfolds against smuggling activities at Visakhapatnam harbour. A former coolie union leader (Rajinikanth) investigates a close friend's death, unearthing a larger criminal network. Themes of betrayal, shifting allegiances, and hidden identities are explored as the story progresses.

While word-of-mouth has been mixed, the film's commercial run continues, bolstered by Rajinikanth's star power and Lokesh Kanagaraj's brand of action cinema. With the theatrical release still active, Coolie is expected to add further to its global tally in the coming days.