The Indian box office is bracing for a massive showdown this Independence Day as two of the year’s most anticipated action-packed releases—Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan-Jr NTR’s War 2—go head-to-head. With both films opening their advance bookings this past Sunday, early trends have made it clear that the superstar from the South is miles ahead in the race.
Coolie Dominates Pre-Release Hype
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie has been creating a storm at the box office even before its official release. As per trade reports from Sacnilk, the film has already earned a staggering ₹16.15 crore in advance booking sales across India, with a strong majority coming from its original Tamil version. Of this amount, approximately ₹10 crore was from Tamil ticket sales alone, and lesser amounts were from its Hindi dubbed version (₹4 lakh), Telugu version (₹1.5 lakh), and Kannada version (₹40,000).
Besides direct ticket bookings, Coolie has also gained immensely from ‘block bookings,’ where theaters reserve seats to be sold through last-minute sales or tactical promotions, adding another ₹6 crore to the figures, taking the total pre-release business to over ₹16 crore.
What’s even more remarkable is that Coolie has managed to sell over 6 lakh tickets already, signaling the massive star power of Rajinikanth and the anticipation surrounding Lokesh Kanagaraj’s direction, which has been key to the rise of high-concept action thrillers in Tamil cinema.
War 2 Struggles to Match the Momentum
On the other side of the ring is War 2, a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster War and part of Yash Raj Films’ much-hyped Spy Universe. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the film features a who’s who of stars in the shape of Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani. With a cast as big-ticket as that, pre-bookings for the film have continued to be extremely low.
According to Sacnilk, War 2 has collected only around ₹1.22 crore in advance bookings (inclusive of block bookings), a number that pales in comparison to Coolie. The direct advance sales currently stand at just ₹30.28 lakh, with the bulk of it (₹28 lakh) coming from the Hindi version. The Tamil and Telugu versions brought in ₹1.3 lakh and ₹70,000, respectively, and an additional ₹60,000 came from IMAX 2D Hindi screenings.
With only about 57,000 tickets available for sale through 6,731 shows, War 2 is not just behind Coolie by a significant number but also lagging below other past YRF Spy Universe successes such as War (2019), Pathaan (2023), and Tiger 3 (2023). In fact, its pre-release figures are even lower than Saiyaara, a romantic drama produced by YRF that starred newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda.
What’s Fueling the Hype for Coolie?
There are a few reasons why Coolie’s phenomenal advance booking has taken place. One, the Rajinikanth-director Lokesh Kanagaraj combination has created enormous word-of-mouth among people and critics. Lokesh is renowned for his gritty storytelling and action thrillers like Vikram and Kaithi, and Coolie appears to be in the same stylistic vein.
The movie also features a talented supporting cast that includes Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, and Sathyaraj, with a surprise cameo from Bollywood legend Aamir Khan. Produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures, Coolie appears to be a high-stakes crime drama with pan-India appeal, especially in the South.
Can War 2 Catch Up?
Although War 2 is supported by the success of a franchise and the draw of Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s collaboration for the first time, it appears to be lagging behind with initial momentum. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, who directed Brahmastra, the film is likely to be a visual treat, but its promotion and initial word of mouth haven’t kept pace with the expectations of its predecessor.
However, it would be unwise to write War 2 off entirely. The film could see a spike in ticket sales closer to its release date, especially if word of mouth and critical reception turn out favorable. But as things stand now, it has a lot of ground to cover.
Verdict: Rajinikanth Reigns Supreme (For Now)
As the Independence Day weekend approaches, it’s evident that Coolie is leading the box office battle with a commanding head start. With over ₹16 crore already in the bag through advance bookings and fan frenzy building up, Rajinikanth once again proves why he is the undisputed superstar of Indian cinema.
Meanwhile, War 2 still has time to build momentum, but the uphill task is clear. Whether it can turn the tide remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: this box office clash is going to be a closely watched affair.