Rajinikanth’s Coolie set for grand release on August 14, 2025; Massive Rs 375 Crore budget revealed

Coolie budget released

Under the direction of renowned director Lokesh Kanagaraj, superstar Rajinikanth is poised to astonish audiences once more with Coolie, his 171st film.

With a cast that includes Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, Upendra, and Pooja Hegde, Coolie is hailed as one of the most ambitious films in Tamil cinema.

On August 14, 2025, the action-packed entertainer will be released globally. This date coincides with the highly anticipated War 2, which is starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr. NTR directed by Ayan Mukerji.

According to a recent report by Pinkvilla, the film’s budget is as grand as its cast. Rajinikanth, who leads the project, has reportedly taken home an unprecedented fee of Rs 150 crore — one of the highest ever paid to an Indian actor upfront.

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has also earned a record-breaking Rs 50 crore, making him one of the most sought-after names in the industry. Combined with production and other cast-related expenses amounting to Rs 150 crore, Coolie’s overall budget has already touched Rs 350 crore — and that’s excluding print and marketing costs.

With an additional Rs 25 crore set aside by the producers for distribution and publicity, the film's estimated total budget now stands at an astounding Rs 375 crore. July 2024 marked the start of filming, which ended in mid-March 2025.

The film's global scope was demonstrated by the locations, which included Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, and even Bangkok.

In addition to Monisha Blessy, Reba Monica John, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, and Shruti Haasan, Coolie is produced by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner. Aamir Khan is scheduled to make a brief but significant appearance.

Anirudh Ravichander wrote the music, while Lokesh Kanagaraj and Chandhru Anbazhagan worked together to create the screenplay and dialogue.

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Fans worldwide are preparing for yet another Rajinikanth extravaganza, which is expected to combine storytelling, star power, and cinematic flair in the quintessential Lokesh Kanagaraj fashion.

The renowned actor is currently working on Jailer 2, the follow-up to his 2023 hit, which is once again being directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and features music by Anirudh.