Coolie (2025) Movie ft. Nagarjuna, Rajinikanth, and Soubin

When Thalaivar meets Lokesh, magic should happen. But does it? Coolie brings together Rajinikanth and young sensation Lokesh Kanagaraj for their maiden collaboration. This action drama features an impressive lineup including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Aamir Khan making a guest appearance.

The story revolves around dock workers fighting exploitation in a bustling port city. As Rajinikanth’s 171st film, it carries enormous weight on its shoulders. Sun Pictures has backed this project with Anirudh’s music and Girish Gangadharan’s visuals promising a complete package.

Story That Tests Your Patience

The plot follows a man seeking justice for wrongs done decades ago. His journey takes him through the grimy world of harbor laborers facing daily injustice. Lokesh crafts his usual intricate web of characters, but this time spanning nearly three hours.

Layer by layer, we discover why our protagonist fights this battle. The script tries balancing mass moments with social messaging about worker rights. Unfortunately, several tracks feel unnecessary and slow down what could be a gripping tale.

I found myself checking the time during certain portions. The revenge saga lacks the tightness that made Lokesh’s earlier films so engaging.

Performances Hit and Miss

Rajinikanth remains the film’s backbone with his magnetic presence intact. He slips into the union leader role effortlessly, delivering both emotional scenes and action blocks with equal conviction. His trademark style keeps you hooked even when the story doesn’t.

Nagarjuna delivers a decent performance but feels underused. Their scenes together work well, creating good chemistry on screen.

Aamir’s much-hyped appearance turns out disappointing. His brief role adds little value to the proceedings, leaving you wondering about the hype.

Upendra and Soubin do justice to their parts within limited screen time. Shruti Haasan gets a standard heroine role without much substance. Sathyaraj appears reliable as always but deserved better material.

Behind the Camera

Lokesh shows his flair for stylish filmmaking but struggles with screenplay coherence. His vision feels scattered across too many elements. The director’s stamp is visible in action choreography and visual treatment.

Girish’s camera captures the harbor atmosphere beautifully. His frames bring out the industrial setting’s raw energy effectively. Some action sequences look spectacular on the big screen.

Anirudh provides a decent soundtrack though nothing reaches chartbuster level. His background score elevates several key moments but lacks his usual magic.

Editing by Philomin faces the uphill task of managing excessive runtime. While individual scenes flow well, the overall pacing suffers from the story’s sprawling nature.

The Good Parts

Rajinikanth’s screen magic remains the biggest draw. His charismatic performance and well-timed dialogue delivery provide several goosebump moments. The film pays tribute to his previous coolie characters, which fans will appreciate.

High production standards are evident throughout. The port city setting looks authentic and supports the working-class narrative well.

Action sequences deliver when they arrive. The technical team ensures visual quality remains top-notch throughout the lengthy runtime.

Social themes get adequate attention. The film raises valid questions about labor exploitation without being preachy.

Where It Falters

The biggest issue is pacing. Nearly three hours feel longer due to unnecessary subplots. Several characters enter and exit without meaningful contribution to the central story.

International audiences have expressed disappointment with the slow narrative despite strong performances. The film tries doing too much without focusing on core strengths.

Character arcs remain incomplete for most supporting players. Aamir’s wasted presence particularly stands out as a missed opportunity.

The ambitious scope works against storytelling clarity. A simpler, more focused approach would have yielded better results.

Critical Verdict

Regional critics have given mixed responses. 123telugu rated it 3/5, praising Rajinikanth while noting execution flaws. Most reviews highlight the star’s performance over story quality.

Audience reactions vary significantly. Hardcore fans enjoy the superstar’s show while casual viewers find it lengthy. Social media buzz reflects this divided opinion clearly.

Trade experts suggest the film might work better in edited form. The theatrical version feels stretched for commercial considerations.

Bottom Line

Coolie tests your patience despite Rajinikanth’s best efforts. Lokesh’s ambitious vision doesn’t translate into compelling cinema this time. The collaboration promised fireworks but delivers mixed results.

I expected more from this dream combination. While Rajinikanth delivers his part brilliantly, the overall film feels like a missed opportunity. Technical excellence can’t mask fundamental storytelling issues.

Die-hard Thalaivar fans will find enough moments to celebrate. Others might struggle with the lengthy runtime and scattered narrative. Future collaborations between this duo could work better with tighter scripts.

The film works in parts but fails as a complete experience. Higher expectations make the disappointment more pronounced.

Rating: 3/5