Box Office Clash: Rajinikanth’s Coolie vs Hrithik–NTR’s War 2 – Who’s Leading the Game?

The Indian box office is gearing up for one of the biggest cinematic clashes of the year as Superstar Rajinikanth’s Coolie and the much-anticipated NTR–Hrithik Roshan starrer War 2 prepare to release simultaneously. While both films enjoy nationwide buzz, the competition is particularly intense in the Telugu states, with both being high-profile dubbed releases backed by major production houses.

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie has managed to sustain massive pre-release hype, drawing strong bookings even in the face of stiff competition. Interestingly, despite War 2 securing some of the top cinema screens, Coolie is witnessing stronger ticket demand in several parts of the Telugu states, especially Hyderabad.

For War 2, the NTR factor is proving to be a major driving force for advance sales in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Still, Coolie has surprised industry trackers by holding its ground despite War 2’s star power and aggressive marketing push.

Trade reports suggest Coolie has already amassed over ₹90 crore in worldwide advance bookings, while War 2 has crossed ₹25 crore in pre-sales—despite its bookings opening in full swing only yesterday. The next 24 hours are expected to be critical in determining day-one numbers.

In overseas markets, Coolie is setting records, raking in $2.145 million from 1,846 premiere shows in North America—marking the highest-ever Tamil film premiere pre-sales in the region. Meanwhile, War 2 has achieved $558.4K from 2,036 shows, with industry insiders noting an uptick in the last two days, though it still needs a final-day surge to approach the $1 million mark.

Industry analysts note that Coolie’s appeal stems from multiple factors—Lokesh Kanagaraj’s direction, Rajinikanth’s legendary star pull, Nagarjuna’s presence, Anirudh’s chart-topping soundtrack, and its ensemble cast. War 2, in contrast, is primarily riding on the pan-India craze for NTR, Hrithik Roshan’s charisma, and its slick Bollywood-style action drama template. If early reviews favor War 2, the film could quickly gain momentum and turn the tables at the box office.

As things stand, Coolie appears to have the edge, but with two massive fanbases and plenty of showtimes, this battle is far from over.