The Independence Day weekend turned into a blockbuster battleground as Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan–Jr NTR starrer War 2 clashed at the cinemas. Both films leveraged the August 15 holiday to draw huge crowds, but Rajinikanth’s action entertainer is emerging as the clear frontrunner.Coolie storms ahead with strong weekendDirected by Lokesh Kanagaraj and co-starring Nagarjuna Akkineni, Coolie has maintained strong momentum despite mixed reviews. With a 20-minute action-packed climax and Lokesh’s trademark thrills, the film is dominating the Tamil market.According to early estimates by Sacnilk, Coolie earned Rs 35 crore on Day 4, taking its total India net collection to Rs 194.25 crore. The film has now come within touching distance of the Rs 200 crore milestone.War 2 faces slowdown despite star powerOn the other hand, Ayan Mukerji’s War 2, a big-ticket addition to YRF’s spy univeRs e, collected Rs 31 crore on Day 4. Its four-day India net now stands at Rs 173.60 crore. Despite a strong start, the film has shown sharper weekend drops compared to Coolie.While powered by Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s star presence, the spy thriller has received criticism for not matching the impact of its predecessor.Day-wise breakdown – Coolie vs War 2Coolie:Day 1 (Aug 14): Rs 65 croreDay 2 (Aug 15): Rs 54.75 croreDay 3 (Aug 16): Rs 39.5 croreDay 4 (Aug 17): Rs 35 crore (early estimates)Total India Net: Rs 194.25 croreWar 2:Day 1 (Aug 14): Rs 52 croreDay 2 (Aug 15): Rs 57.35 croreDay 3 (Aug 16): Rs 33.25 croreDay 4 (Aug 17): Rs 31 crore (early estimates)Total India Net: Rs 173.60 crore
Records and global box office
In a remarkable feat, Coolie crossed Rs 300 crore worldwide in just three days, breaking Vijay’s Leo record for the fastest Tamil film to achieve the milestone. Industry insideRs credit Rajinikanth’s unmatched charisma and dominance in the South Indian market as the driving force.Meanwhile, War 2 is relying on word-of-mouth to stabilize collections. While it may see a second wind, trade experts suggest it will be difficult for the film to keep pace with Coolie’s box office juggernaut.
What’s next at the box office?
With Sunday evening and night collections yet to be counted, Coolie is almost certain to cross the Rs 200 crore India net mark before the weekend closes. If it continues its streak, it could even challenge Leo’s lifetime record of Rs 400 crore in India and Rs 605 crore globally.War 2 still has a chance to recover ground, but for now, the Rajinikanth-starrer is firmly leading the Independence Day box office race.
