Rajinikanth starrer Coolie's first show to premiere at 6 am in Kerala, 9 am shows in Tamil Nadu

Although only a few theatres have started accepting reservations, more are expected to follow in the days ahead, paving the way for what might be an unprecedented opening.

Rajinikanth’s much-anticipated Coolie is all set to storm theatres on August 14, 2025, and the excitement has already reached fever pitch. Advance bookings opened today at 10:30 am, and the response has been nothing short of electric.

Although only a few theatres have started accepting reservations, more are expected to follow in the days ahead, paving the way for what might be an unprecedented opening.

In Tamil Nadu, the first screenings will start at 9 am, while early morning shows in Kerala and Karnataka are confirmed to start at 6 am. Following the tragic death of a fan during the Thunivu FDFS in 2023, the government banned early morning performances in Tamil Nadu, which is the reason for the delay.

The state's first-day first-show will therefore start later in the morning. The Central Board of Film Certification's A certificate, which many theatres have already issued, further stipulates that patrons under the age of 18 will not be allowed entry.

Cash registers are already ringing due to the domestic advance booking of the film. According to confirmed ticket sales, Coolie has made an estimated RS 1.81 crore so far; however, the amount has increased to approximately Rs 5.09 crore due to blocked seats.

With Rs 96.5 lakh confirmed sales and an astounding Rs 3.06 crore including blocked seats, Kerala is leading the race. With confirmed sales of Rs 83.98 lakh and blocked seats of Rs 2.01 crore, Tamil Nadu is not far behind.

Also read: Coolie fever hits Kerala: Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj film makes Rs 3 crore just in 5 hours of booking

Overseas, the frenzy is just as intense. In the United Kingdom, the film has been cleared without a single cut by the censor board, and the first show is scheduled for 12:30 am UK time (5 am IST). With the current pace of bookings, industry watchers are predicting a mammoth global opening for the film.

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie brings together a stellar ensemble from multiple film industries, including Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Aamir Khan, and Shruti Haasan. With its pan-India and international release strategy, massive pre-release hype, and powerhouse star cast, Coolie looks poised to set the box office on fire this Independence Day weekend.