Rajinikanth’s Coolie Joins Costliest Films List with 375 Crore Budget

It started as a buzz and quickly turned into one of the biggest talking points in Indian cinema. Coolie, starring Supestar Rajinikanth and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has locked in a massive budget of Rs 375 crore, earning it a spot among the most expensive Indian films ever made.

The film brings together a powerful ensemble Rajinikanth, Aamir Khan, Akkineni Nagarjuna, Upendra, and Pooja Hegde. Rajinikanth alone is said to be taking home Rs 150 crore, while Lokesh is drawing Rs 50 crore for his direction. Produced by Sun Pictures, Coolie is slated for release on August 14 across multiple languages and has already recovered Rs 240 crore through digital, satellite, and music rights.

To break even, the film needs Rs 135 crore in theatrical revenue and a global total of Rs 400 crore. While initial targets aimed for a Rs 1000 crore run, the team has revised expectations to a more realistic figure, given strong competition from films like WAR 2.

Much of the box office pressure lies on its Telugu and Hindi market performance, with industry trackers estimating Rs 60 crore and Rs 30–40 crore from those regions. Whether or not Coolie smashes records, its scale and ambition have already made it one of the year’s most-watched releases.