The 2025 Independence Day long weekend saw one of the biggest box office wars to ever happen in recent Indian cinematic history. The arena was home to two heavyweight contenders: Coolie, which starred the legendary Rajinikanth under Lokes Kanagaraj direction and War 2, a spy thriller directed by Ayan Mukerji and starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR. What occurred was an evening course in celebrity, as the 74-year-old superstar demonstrated why he is yet again cinema’s undisputed box office behemoth.
Let’s know the Coolie vs War 2 review!
Box office verdict: Rajinikanth storms supreme
Coolie opened on fewer screens in the country but was a success by collecting in excess of 61 crores on the first day of release in India, beating the all-time blockbuster, Enthiran, by Rajinikanth—the magnum opus. Concurrently, War 2 is the second film in the effective YRF Spy Universe but earned 45 crore, with the prior War (51 cr.) and Pathaan (57 cr.) earning more.
The figures make a good story of enduring stardom against modern popularity. Although War 2 had the advantage of utilizing two popular stars, as well as more screens, the occupancy rates of Coolie were unprecedented throughout the geographical locations.
Regional Performance Analysis
Tamil Nadu and Kerala: The Expected Dominance
Coolie did not surprise anyone and took over at the usual dependence zones of Rajinikanth. There was a fantastic occupancy rate of 84% in the Tamil version in various locations and a few of its centers had total sell-outs.
Telugu Markets— The Surprising Upset
The most surprising one perhaps was the performance of Coolie in Telugu-speaking States. Although the local favorite is Jr NTR, the Telugu dub of Coolie earned 91% in 900+ shows despite War 2 only earning 72% in Telugu. The Telugu version of Coolie got a 100% occupancy in Chennai, whereas Coolie got 97 percent and War-2 got 74 percent in Hyderabad.
Hindi Belt: The Ultimate Test
The Hindi market had the most surprising results. The Hindi dubbing of Coolie even attained a 29 percent occupancy level all across the country, with centers such as Lucknow topping at 44 percent. War 2, in comparison, had a Hindi occupancy of 23 percent, with the Lucknow occupancy being 38 percent. The fact that this play of the Heart of India is driving the Hindi theater to the culmination of this performance speaks volumes of the pan-Indian box office power of Rajinikanth.
Critical Reception—Mixed Reviews for Both Films
Coolie’s Creative Challenges
Critics noted that Coolie suffers from an “overstuffing of ideas.” The film begins as a revenge thriller following Deva (Rajinikanth) investigating his friend Rajasekhar’s (Sathyaraj) mysterious death but transitions into a broader crime syndicate expose. This narrative shift, while ambitious, creates pacing issues that prevent the film from achieving its full potential.
Strengths:
- Rajinikanth’s commanding screen presence remains undiminished at 74.
- Strong technical aspects, including Girish Gangadharan’s cinematography and Anirudh Ravichander’s music.
- Soubin Shahir delivers a standout performance as the antagonist Dayalan.
- Effective use of nostalgia with callbacks to Rajinikanth’s 1981 film Thee.
Weaknesses:
- Disjointed storytelling with multiple half-baked subplots.
- Underutilized ensemble cast including Nagarjuna and Shruti Haasan.
- Predictable cameos from Aamir Khan and Upendra that lack impact.
War 2’s Spy Thriller Formula
War 2 follows Kabir (Hrithik Roshan), a former RAW agent turned mercenary, and his complex relationship with Vikram/Raghu (Jr NTR). The film explores themes of betrayal, childhood trauma, and conflicted loyalties within the YRF Spy Universe framework.
The climax reveals Vikram’s true identity as Kabir’s childhood friend Raghu, setting up future installments while delivering high-octane action sequences that have become synonymous with the franchise.
Industry Impact and Future Implications
Theatrical Distribution Strategy
The findings point to transforming exhibition dynamics. The performance of Coolie on fewer screens implies that even distribution can be overcome by star power and by the demand of audiences. Exhibitors can be revisiting their screen allocation policies using the rate of occupancy and not necessarily relying on negotiations with the production houses.
Trends of Pan-Indian Cinema
The two movies symbolize the changing pan-Indian releases. The success of Coolie in spite of the language barrier contributes to the iconic status of Rajinikanth in Indian cinema, whereas the performance of War 2 creates support for the spy universe model but implies the cultivation of oversaturated returns without new content presentation.
Star Power vs Modernity
The collision proves that even established stardom coupled with having competent movie-making capabilities can still overcome current multi-starrer ventures. When Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR together were no match for Rajinikanth, it spoke of the importance of authentic star power.
Technical Excellence in Both Films
Coolie’s Craftsmanship
Director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s signature style remains evident despite story shortcomings.
The film benefits from:
- Anirudh Ravichander’s pulsating background score
- Effective production design creating authentic port and mansion settings
- Sound design that enhances action sequences
War 2’s Production Values
Ayan Mukerji’s direction brings visual spectacle expected from YRF productions, with elaborate action choreography and international locations that justify the spy thriller genre requirements.
Box Office Lessons and Market Insights
The Coolie vs War 2 clash provides several key insights for the Indian film industry:
- Star Value Endures: Authentic star power remains a crucial factor in box office success
- Regional Crossover: Proper dubbing and marketing can help films succeed beyond traditional territories
- Content Quality Matters: Despite commercial success, both films faced criticism for story weaknesses
- Occupancy Over Screens: Higher occupancy rates can compensate for fewer screens.
Final thoughts
The Independence Day 2025 battle over the box office clearly proved that stories of the fall of the traditional stardom have been highly overstated. Coolie is a movie in which Rajinikanth did not just win; he captured the location, language and demography as well.
Despite the merits of both movies as works of art as well as the money they have generated, the veteran superstar, who is 74 had a better weekend, as he has established once again that he is the most dependable box office name in Indian cinema.
The conflict will be a reminder to the industry that despite the modern technology and multi-star ventures in film production, the mysterious power of living stardom remains something that could reach the depths of the hearts of all people in the country.
With both movies still running in the theaters, their opening day scores have already determined the hierarchy of this Independence Day battle, with Rajinikanth reasserting why he was given the moniker of Superstar decades ago and still deserves it now.
