On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Rajinikanth’s career, Lokesh Kanagaraj has made a film paying tribute to him, named Coolie. This film, released just a day before Independence Day, is no less than a gift for Rajini fans. Let us tell you that this film was announced in September 2023 and then the tentative title of this film was Thalaiva 171 because this is Rajinikanth’s 171st film. Like South Indian films, the focus here is more on action and swag than on the story. In the film, Rajinikanth has played the role of Coolie Deva in the film Coolie.
Story
The story of the film revolves around coolie Deva. Deva moves forward in his journey to know the truth behind the mysterious death of his friend Rajasekhar (Sathyaraj). During this time, Rajasekhar’s daughter Preeti (Shruti Haasan) supports him. As the story progresses, many new characters like Simon Xavier, Dayal, Kalisha and Daha get added to the story.
Writing and Direction
The writer and director of the film is Lokesh Kanagaraj. Lokesh is known for making his own kind of films and Rajinikanth is a genre in himself. But I feel Lokesh wanted to create the Rajinikanth brand of cinema and that is where he went wrong. Coolie could neither be Rajini’s film nor Lokesh’s. The film will seem entertaining in some parts. Rajinikanth’s swag will also be seen, some good action scenes will also be seen but I feel that due to so many characters and constant twists, the screenplay seems confusing at some places. . Especially in the end, an attempt has been made to unnecessarily make the story look bigger.
There is nothing new in the story and many big actors were not used properly. If the length of the film was shorter, some shortcomings could have been hidden. I think the story of Coolie is so complicated and confusing that Lokesh himself could not tell it properly. I think the film Coolie could have been a simple story. Which would have probably been better and more entertaining. But this film has so many sub-plots, backstories and flashbacks that you lose interest in what is happening in real time. Every 15 minutes there is a new twist. Which later becomes the reason for another twist.
Acting
Rajinikanth has his own aura which is visible in this film as well. It can also be said that Rajinikanth is the soul of this film. Nagarjuna has acted well and the role of Simon Xavier suits him well. Soubin Shahir’s work is strong. Shruti Haasan’s role was over and done with, she was not given much scope. Sathyaraj and Upendra’s work is also fine. Aamir Khan’s cameo is also good and he looks good. Aamir Khan plays the role of Daha. Rachita Ram surprises with her performance.
Also Read: Rajinikanth’s Fiery Dialogues in Coolie will blow your mind
Overall
If you are a fan of Rajinikanth or like the spicy style of South cinema, then you can watch ‘Coolie’. This film will entertain you in some parts but after watching the film, you will also feel that the focus in this film is more on things like swag and action than on the story.
