The much-anticipated film Coolie, starring Superstar Rajinikanth and King Nagarjuna, has finally hit the screens today amid unprecedented hype at the box office. Let’s dive into the review to see how well it has impressed the audience.
Coolie Story: Deva (Rajinikanth) lives in hiding along with his team. His close friend (Rajasekhar) passes away, but Deva discovers it’s not a natural death but a murder. Who killed Rajasekhar? What steps does Deva take to catch the culprit? What role does Simon (Nagarjuna) play in all this? What business is Simon involved in, and how does Deva put a stop to it? What’s Deva’s connection with Dayal (Soubin Shahir), and how is Dayal’s crime linked to Rajasekhar’s death? The rest of the story answers these questions.
Performances: As Deva, Superstar Rajinikanth thoroughly entertains his fans. He impresses not only with powerful action elements but also with emotional moments. His variations to suit the character’s situations and his body language, especially in the action and flashback sequences, stand out. Rajinikanth’s stylish looks and screen presence elevate the role further.
Nagarjuna makes a strong impact as the villain, with both his performance and look adding weight to the film. Guest appearances by Upendra and Aamir Khan are big positives. Soubin Shahir delivers a solid performance in a key role. Shruti Haasan fits well into her role as the daughter, and Pooja Hegde’s special song is a highlight. Monisha Blessy and Rachita Ram, along with the rest of the supporting cast, perform well within their scope. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has designed engaging action sequences and interesting characters.
Technical Aspects: As a director, Lokesh Kanagaraj does justice to the film, but as a writer, he doesn’t fully impress. While he tries to craft the film beautifully with interesting characters, more focus on the narrative was needed. Music by Anirudh Ravichander is good, with the background score standing out in several scenes. Girish Gangadharan’s cinematography is a highlight, with each frame well visualized. Editing is decent, though trimming some dragged sequences in the second half would have helped. Production values by Kalanithi Maran are excellent.
Analysis: While Lokesh Kanagaraj designed Deva’s character and arc well, the same level of care wasn’t applied to the overall treatment of the story. The narrative of Coolie lacks freshness, and some scenes feel slow.
Apart from a few sequences, there isn’t much novelty. Though the first half moves briskly, the second half drags in parts. Lokesh fails to maintain a consistent level of curiosity in the storytelling. Too many cameos also spoil the fun to an extent, as the meat is lost in translation.
There was scope to make the screenplay more gripping, but he stuck to his usual style and ended the film on that note. Overall, while the film has strong emotions and conflict, they aren’t established well enough for the audience to feel fully involved.
Verdict: Overall, with a massive star cast, Coolie offers Rajinikanth’s powerful performance, Nagarjuna’s impactful villainy, strong guest appearances by Upendra and Aamir Khan, and well-executed action scenes. However, despite the presence of strong emotion and conflict, they are not established well enough to make the audience fully connect. Overall, the film appeals to Superstar fans only
Bottom Line: Does not live up to the hype
Coolie Rating: 2.5/5
