Rajinikanth vs Nagarjuna Showdown in Coolie Movie
In Coolie, Nagarjuna’s intense negative role sets the stage for a gripping showdown with Rajinikanth in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s much-awaited August 14 release.
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While Coolie has been promoted as Rajinikanth’s 171st film, industry watchers say the standout element could be Nagarjuna’s portrayal of the antagonist. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has crafted a character described as highly aggressive and stylized, with sequences expected to match — and at times overshadow — Rajinikanth’s performance.
The action drama, jointly written by Lokesh Kanagaraj and Chandhru Anbazhagan, is produced by Sun Pictures under the banner of Kalanithi Maran. The cast also includes Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj, along with a special appearance by Aamir Khan. Music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, marking his fifth project with Rajinikanth and fourth with Lokesh Kanagaraj.
Originally introduced to audiences under the working title Thalaivar 171, the film has been positioned as one of the biggest releases of 2025. It is slated to hit theatres on Aug. 14, going head-to-head with War 2, directed by Ayan Mukerji. That film, part of Yash Raj Films’ spy universe, stars Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR.
Film trade analysts expect Coolie to not only draw massive interest from Rajinikanth’s fan base but also spark conversations about Nagarjuna’s new trajectory toward strong negative roles. With Lokesh Kanagaraj’s track record for designing impactful antagonists, industry speculation points to this performance as a potential benchmark in Nagarjuna’s career.
