Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj's 'Coolie' hit the screens today (August 14), marking 50 years of the superstar in cinema. Produced by Sun Pictures, the film has Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, Upendra, Shruti Hassan, Sathyaraj and others in key roles.
Plot:
Rajashekar ( Sathyaraj), the childhood friend of Deva (Rajinikanth) dies all of a sudden and he's survived by three daughters. His elder daughter Preethi (Shruti Hassan) does not let Deva attend the funeral of Rajashekar. Soon, Deva comes to know that his friend did not die by a cardiac arrest, but was murdered.
On the other hand, police have planted multiple informers in the kingdom of Simon (Nagarjuna). All his mafia deals are taken care of by Dayaal (Soubin Shahir). Deva comes to know that Rajashekar was working for Simon to protect his daughters from something major.
What was Rajashekar doing for Simon and does Simon really have anything to do with his death? Deva in the search of these answers, heads to the kingdom of Simon and unveils the truth forms the crux of the story.
Analysis:
The film starts with an informer narrating how Simon's Kingdom operates and introduces us to each of the main guys in the KingPin.
Rajinikanth makes his entry 20 minutes after the beginning of the film, and his introduction scene is well made. It is such an out of the box scene that no contemporary actor would agree to such intro into the film. Immediately comes the Chikitu vibe song that takes properly into the story.
Rajinikanth's performance doesn't need any special mention here because isn't it obvious that he nailed it? Nagarjuna, for the first time, played an antagonist and nobody could have done it better than him.
Aamir Khan as Dahaa is an absolute stunner and delight to watch on the screen. Upendra, though his role was a short one, has done a great job in an impactful role. His entry into the plot is whistle worthy.
Aamir Khan played the superior to Simon while Upendra played Rajinikanth's aid.
Shruti Hassan is a perfect choice for the character of Preethi. She runs the entire plot along with Rajinikanth and the story would definitely be incomplete without her.
Soubin Shahir has done a great job. He is known for giving his best performance on the screen, and once again, he has proved that he has potential that cannot be limited only to Malayalam cinema.
What worked and what did not:
Lokesh has successfully managed to bring the vintage Rajinikanth to this film. These portions have a lot to do with the story in the current era. Though fans enjoy watching Rajinikanth right from the first scene to the end, the bitter truth is that unlike Rajini's previous film Jailer, there are not many scenes or moments that give you an adrenaline rush.
Rajinikanth plays a coolie in this film and it is very clearly shown at the end that 20 of his closest friends who worked with him back, then are still with him in his mansion, which is nothing but a student hostel.
These guys are nothing short of goals, and the question about why they are still with him with unknown identities is left unanswered.
Nagarjuna for the first time has played a villain in decades of his career and his role as Simon has worked really well for the audience.
Aamir Khan makes his entry in the climax of the film, and you don't get to watch him for more than five minutes.
If one has to compare his entry to one of Rolex in Vikram, which was played by Suriya, the entry of Dahaa is very disappointing and definitely not up to the hype that was given during the promotions and the release of the film.
It is revealed that this character has something to do with Deva in the past, but the way it was unveiled was in the least expected situation and the moment.
Anybody could have done this character with ease and bringing Aamir Khan, for this was nothing but pre-sale business in the Hindi market.
Coming to Upendra, the most versatile actor of South Indian cinema, he plays Rajinikanth closest aid and will be seen only in the last 20 minutes of the film.
To be put in the most blunt way, Upendra is used only for a particular action sequence and nothing more than that. Lokesh did not use Upendra's potential to the fullest at all and this is sheer disappointment, as there was a lot more expected from Upendra's character.
One thing that is made clear through Coolie is that this film has nothing to do with LCU.
Talking about the script and the story, initially everything seems to be tightly written with no loose ends. But by the time you reach the climax of the film, audience is sure about the fact that there is something missing in the film.
So many questions are unanswered and some scene that might seem silly and unnecessary at all.
Lokesh has worked on this film and the script for two years, keeping all his social and personal life aside. The background to some of the characters is not revealed or explained. You don't really understand why Deva is running a hostel or why Nagarjuna's son, who could be the heir for such a massive kingdom of mafia, chooses to become a Customs Officer.
Anirudh has completely worked on elevation scenes and given background scores to all Rajinikanth's scenes just to make sure that the audience somehow gets the boost through the music. Added to the best of these songs and music is Girish Gangadharan's camera work. Anbariv's master action sequences, combined with the camera work and the music, have done absolute magic every time you watch Rajinikanth on the screen.
But beyond all this, Coolie feels like finishing a meal without a dessert. Something incomplete and missing.
The story:
Lokesh Kanagaraj has written a perfect story that has multiple layers to it, taking us into the world of Coolie. The twists and turns in the film will blow your mind.
Rajinikanth's younger version has been well made technically with the use of AI. Those episodes will take you back to the vintage era of Rajinikanth.
The screenplay plays an important role in this film. Camera work by Gireesh Gangadharan is magic. He has made every shot whistle worthy and interesting. Anirudh's music is the soul of the film and the background music just elevates every single scene.
Coolie is a must-watch for all the film lovers and not just Rajinikanth and Lokesh fans.
Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj Cast: Rajinikanth, Akkineni Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, Upendra, Shruti Hassan, Sathyaraj and others Music: Anirudh Ravichander Rating: 3.5/5
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