Box Office Duel: Coolie Outpaces War 2 in Week 1, But Neither Delivers a ‘Saiyaara’-Style Blitz
In their first week post-release, Coolie nets ₹229.75 crore and War 2 earns ₹204.25 crore at the domestic box office. Despite strong openings, both films fall short of soaring expectations, struggling to sustain momentum amid comparisons to previous blockbusters.
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Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, and War 2, led by Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, completed a week at the box office following their August 14 release. Despite high anticipation, neither film witnessed a box-office tsunami like Saiyaara.(Saiyaara-style dominance was not replicated.)
Here’s how they performed:
Coolie emerged as the front-runner with ₹229.75 crore net in Week 1, marking Rajinikanth’s biggest opener.
War 2 trailed behind with a respectable ₹204.25 crore net in the same period.
Trade expert Taran Adarsh highlighted that both films struggled due to weak content, with War 2 deemed particularly underwhelming. He noted, “Coolie performed well in the Tamil belt, but it couldn't make a mark in the Hindi belt”.
Originally, industry analysts expected the two behemoths to split the box office. That prediction came true, diluting the business potential for each. Neither could overtake Saiyaara, which had earlier set a towering benchmark.
