Coolie reviews: First half divides fans as LCU rumors swirl and Rajinikanth dominates

Coolie—the much-hyped Rajinikanth starrer directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj—has finally hit theaters, and the first wave of reviews is in. While opinions are split, the buzz is anything but quiet.

Touted as one of the biggest Indian releases in recent memory, Coolie is already rewriting box office records. Industry tracker Sacnilk reported over ₹41 crore in advance sales from India alone. 

Globally, the film had crossed ₹100 crore in pre-release sales, with North American pre-sales hitting $2.85 million—eclipsing War 2 by a wide margin.

According to fans and trade analysts, the first half of Coolie is drawing mixed responses. A post by trade analyst Christopher Kanagaraj called the first half “OK,” but praised Rajinikanth’s energy and Nagarjuna’s style. He noted, “Anirudh Maja. 4 songs. Scenes are kinda disconnected. Interval block & vintage song pakka!”

Fan reviews echo the sentiment. @rk_dublin rated it 2.75/5, calling the first half “average” but praising the second for strong cameos and a standout score by Anirudh. Another viewer raved, “From scene one to interval, not a single slowdown! Lokesh proves his genius… audience constantly guessing the next move!”

The film's ensemble—featuring Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj—is drawing special attention. Nagarjuna, who plays the antagonist, called working with Rajinikanth “fantastic” and revealed Thalaivar helped him with Tamil dialogues on set.

Meanwhile, speculation continues over Coolie’s rumored links to the Lokesh Cinematic Universe, though the director has labeled it a “standalone film” crafted exclusively for Rajinikanth’s 50th year in cinema. 

A heartfelt note from Lokesh praised the superstar’s trust, saying he was given “complete creative freedom.”

With theaters packed and the festive buzz at full tilt, Coolie’s opening day haul is already estimated at ₹7.4 crore net in India. The real test, however, lies ahead: Can it sustain the momentum beyond the opening spectacle?