Coolie Gets a Big Bet from North America

Superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Coolie is already setting records even before its theatrical release. In a massive development, the North America theatrical rights for the film have been secured by Prathyangira Cinemas for a record-breaking ₹30 crore MG (Minimum Guarantee). This deal marks the highest-ever price paid for a Tamil film in the region, comfortably surpassing the previous record held by Leo, which was acquired for ₹18 crore MG.

For those who are wondering what MG is, it stands for Minimum Guarantee, where the distributor pays a fixed amount upfront to the producer, ensuring assured revenue regardless of the film’s performance. If the film collects more than the MG, the excess profits are shared between the producer and distributor as per a pre-agreed ratio.

The staggering number is a clear indication of the hype surrounding Coolie, which brings together Rajinikanth and director Lokesh Kanagaraj for the very first time. Lokesh, who’s known for crafting massy action thrillers like Vikram and Kaithi, is expected to present the superstar in a never-seen-before avatar. With fans eagerly awaiting the film, distributors seem confident about its massive box office potential overseas, especially with the entire overseas theatrical rights sold to Hamsini Entertainment for a whopping ₹85 crore.

What makes this deal even more noteworthy is the gap between Coolie and the previous record holder. An increase of ₹12 crore in MG for a Tamil film shows just how strong Rajinikanth’s pull remains globally, particularly in international territories like the US and Canada, where the Tamil diaspora is becoming large and influential. Based on the current estimates, the film will need to gross around $7.5 million at the North American box office to break even.

While Rajinikanth headlines the film, Coolie features a powerhouse ensemble and top-tier crew. Rajinikanth leads as Deva, supported by an all-star pan-Indian cast including Nagarjuna Akkineni (as Simon), Upendra (Kaleesha), Soubin Shahir (Dayal), Shruti Haasan (Preethi), Sathyaraj (Rajasekar), and cameos from Aamir Khan (as Dahaa) and Pooja Hegde in a special song. The film is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, with music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Backed by Sun Pictures, Coolie is slated for release on August 14th.