Coolie (2025)

Detailed Review

Deva (Rajinikanth) and Rajasekar (Sathyaraj) are not just lifelong friends but also brothers-in-law. While Deva runs a mansion business in Chennai, Rajasekar lives in Visakhapatnam with his three daughters. One day, Deva receives news that Rajasekar has died. When he attends the funeral, he discovers that it wasn’t a natural death but a murder. Determined to find the truth, Deva teams up with Rajasekar’s daughter Preethi (Shruti Haasan) to track down the killer. Did Deva finally uncover the culprit? Who killed Rajasekar?

Lokesh Kanagaraj tries to deliver a gripping action-thriller filled with twists, flashbacks, and build-ups, but the screenplay stumbles at places.

As always, Rajinikanth carries the film with his trademark style and swag, effortlessly displaying emotions like anger, love, and valor. His climax flashback sequence electrifies the theatre. Soubin Shahir surprises with his powerful villainous act, overshadowing even the main antagonist Nagarjuna, who nevertheless appears stylish in sharp suits and sunglasses, ruthlessly killing without hesitation. Despite being Rajini`s close friend, Sathyaraj gets very little screen time, as do Aamir Khan, Upendra, Rachita Ram, Charlie, Kaali Venkat, and Lollu Sabha Maaran, who all make only brief appearances. Shruti Haasan stands out as the elder sister fighting to raise her two younger siblings after losing her parents.

Anirudh once again proves to be Rajini`s biggest strength. From emotional bonding scenes to electrifying action blocks, his background score elevates the mood, while songs like `Chikkittu` keep the energy high. The stunt choreography by Anbariv is another major highlight—well-executed fight sequences combined with Kris Gangadharan`s cinematography and Philomin Raj`s editing create edge-of-the-seat moments. The CGI team also deserves credit for convincingly de-aging Rajini to recreate his 80s look, which thrills fans in the climax.

The film`s 80s-inspired climax settings stand out as the biggest nostalgic high point. Some twists and action blocks work very well, engaging the audience.

However, excessive bloodshed and back-to-back violent fights eventually cause fatigue. The overuse of night sequences adds to the weariness. With a non-linear narrative, the audience is forced to wait till the climax to fully piece together the story, testing patience. Too much focus on CG and action overshadows the screenplay and character depth. Most supporting characters appear and disappear without impact—ironically, even Sathyaraj`s friendship with Rajini, which should have been emotionally strong, is underdeveloped. Big stars from other languages are introduced with hype but barely get meaningful screen presence, making their casting questionable.

Overall, Coolie may satisfy hardcore Rajini fans and action lovers, but those expecting a solid story and emotional depth may leave disappointed.

Verdict: Coolie – A Stumbling block in the story, a disappointment to the audience.

1) Is Coolie movie worth watching?

2) Is Coolie part of LCU?

3) Is Aamir Khan in Coolie?

4) Is Coolie (2025) a remake?