Rajinikanth Leads with Rs 150 Cr Pay in Coolie; Here’s What Others Earned
With Rs 375 Cr budget, Coolie stars Rajinikanth, Aamir Khan. Set to release Aug 14, it has already made Rs 240 Cr from pre-release deals.
image for illustrative purpose
The upcoming film Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and headlined by superstar Rajinikanth, is positioned to be one of India’s major cinematic releases in 2025. Alongside Rajinikanth, the film features a strong ensemble including Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, Upendra, and Pooja Hegde. Produced by Sun Pictures, Coolie will premiere on August 14 in multiple Indian languages including Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi.
The production budget for Coolie stands at a staggering Rs 375 crore, placing it among the most expensive Indian films to date. Rajinikanth’s remuneration reportedly reaches Rs 150 crore, making him one of the highest-paid actors nationally. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj commands Rs 50 crore, a record sum for an Indian director. The remainder of the budget, Rs 150 crore, covers production expenses and payments to the rest of the cast and crew. An additional Rs 25 crore has been allocated for marketing and promotional activities.
Pre-release revenue has already generated Rs 240 crore for the producers. Digital streaming rights have sold for Rs 130 crore, satellite broadcasting rights for Rs 90 crore, and music rights for Rs 20 crore. This leaves Rs 135 crore to be recouped from theatrical box office collections to break even.
For profitability, Coolie needs to gross around Rs 400 crore worldwide. Given Rajinikanth’s substantial fan base and the widespread anticipation, achieving this target remains feasible. However, the film’s success will heavily depend on its reception in key markets such as Telugu and Hindi-speaking regions. Analysts suggest that a Rs 60 crore contribution from the Telugu version and Rs 30-40 crore from the Hindi version will be critical to overall performance.
While initial expectations saw the film aiming to join the Rs 1000-crore club, the makers have tempered public forecasts to a more pragmatic Rs 400 crore target. This adjusted outlook reflects a strategic move to align expectations realistically ahead of release.
The industry is closely monitoring Coolie as it competes with Yash Raj Films’ WAR 2, also scheduled for release soon.
