The extended first weekend for “Coolie” and “War 2” brought contrasting fortunes. For NTR, “War 2” turned out to be a bitter disappointment. His Bollywood debut ended as a huge disaster, failing to click both in Hindi and Telugu markets. Trade circles are already branding it one of the industry’s all-time debacles.
A formulaic spy thriller, “War 2” felt like just another extension of Yash Raj Films’ franchise. Director Ayan Mukerji’s failure to elevate NTR’s character left his fans dejected, leading to the Telugu version’s collapse. In Hindi, though the initial turnout was decent, word-of-mouth quickly dragged it down.
War 2 – First Weekend Collections
All India: Rs 173 Cr
USA: 3.01M
On the other hand, Rajinikanth’s “Coolie” stormed the box office with remarkable numbers worldwide. Despite mixed reviews and heavy trolling, the film drew massive crowds, setting a new career-best record for the superstar with nearly Rs 200 crore in its first weekend. In the USA, it collected double that of “War 2,” emerging as the highest-grossing Tamil film ever in the territory.
Coolie First Weekend Collections
All India: Rs 194 Cr
USA: $6M
The film also performed strongly in Telugu states, ensuring a successful opening weekend. However, with a staggering Rs 500+ crore budget, it remains to be seen whether “Coolie” can eventually reach the break-even mark. For now, it stands tall as a solid weekend winner.
