It’s truly a marvel what AI and special effects can do. They transform the 74-year-old Rajinikanth into his 30-year-old self in an instant. Such moments make the audience cheer wildly. Rajinikanth’s fans beam with delight as they watch him on screen, showcasing his signature cool style from 50 years ago. Today’s popular trend of bringing together stars from different regions in one film also plays a part. But then, a question pops up: What about the story amidst all this swagger, action, and superstar cameos? It seems Lokesh Kanagaraj, who gave us hits like ‘Kaithi,’ ‘Master,’ ‘Vikram,’ and ‘Leo,’ stumbled with the plot this time. One might even say ‘Coolie’ is his most confusing and weakest film when it comes to storytelling.
Still, this film is a grand celebration of Rajinikanth’s 50 years in cinema. This wave of excitement will surely carry the movie forward. It’s also common to see South Indian films focus more on action and style than deep stories. So, you might still want to check this one out. It never bores you. I won’t spoil it for you either. Let’s find out what ‘Coolie’ is all about.
The Story (Or Lack Thereof)
The story itself is quite tangled. It’s not something you can easily explain; you really need to see it to get it. In simple terms, it follows a porter named Deva, played by Rajinikanth. He sets out to find out why his friend, Rajasekhar, played by Sathyaraj, died. Rajasekhar’s daughter, Preeti, played by Shruti Haasan, helps Deva on this journey. As the plot unfolds, more characters join the mix. These include Simon Xavier, played by Nagarjuna, Dayal, played by Sobin Shahir, Kalisha, played by Upendra, and Daha, played by Aamir Khan. With so many characters, you might feel lost at times. The many twists weaken the overall flow of the movie. Plus, the ending feels unnecessarily overblown. Lokesh even hinted that Aamir and Rajinikanth might share the screen again soon.
The Performances
This is a Rajinikanth film, so he stays in the spotlight the whole time. He handles action scenes and comedy with ease. His style is simply unmatched. Nagarjuna’s Hindi dialogue delivery sometimes makes his performance less impactful, but he does an okay job. Sobin Shahir delivers a truly outstanding and scary performance. Sathyaraj does a decent enough job with his role. Shruti Haasan mostly runs through the film; Lokesh didn’t give her much chance to act. Upendra has a very small role, and his expressions often look the same. Aamir appears in a different look, and his cameo is fun to watch. Rachita Ram, on the other hand, will surprise you with her acting.
The Director’s Vision
Lokesh is known for his incredible action scenes, and ‘Coolie’ is no different. Some scenes and dialogues are very entertaining. In one scene, Rajinikanth casually says, “My connections are quite high… I even know Shah Rukh and Aishwarya.” His signature lines, like “Try laying a hand on me” and “I’ll do it, buddy,” are crowd-pleasers. However, the story feels needlessly stretched. There’s nothing truly new in the film. We’ve seen Rajinikanth do all these things in many movies before. Lokesh could have used the many big stars in the film more effectively. Still, he clearly made this film to celebrate Rajinikanth fully. He knows that’s enough to make the movie a hit.
Sound and Spectacle
Anirudh Ravichander’s background score never disappoints. He breathes life into the action scenes, especially with his music. Pooja Hegde’s item number, ‘Monica.. Monica,’ slows down the movie’s pace. But Sobin’s dancing in it adds energy.
Should You Watch It?
If you are a Rajinikanth fan or love South Indian films, you will definitely watch this. It’s a great way to celebrate Rajinikanth’s 50 years in cinema. You’ll see some scenes that are hard to believe, but that’s a signature of South Indian movies. You can certainly go see it on the August 15 holiday. You won’t be disappointed. The film is a full-on entertainer.
