Rajinikanth’s Recent Box Office Journey: 6 Years, 1 Success, 20% Hit Rate
Rajinikanth, celebrating 50 years in cinema, faces mixed box office results in his recent years. Of his last five films, only Jailer (2023) was a clear success, while Petta (2019), Darbar (2020), Annaatthe (2021), and Vettaiyan (2024) failed to recover their high budgets at the Indian box office.
Box Office Performance of Rajinikanth’s Last Five Films in India
| Film | Year | Budget (₹ Crores) | India Net Collection (₹ Crores) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vettaiyan | 2024 | 250-280 | 148.32 | Losing |
| Jailer | 2023 | 200 | 345 | Success |
| Annaatthe | 2021 | 180 | 107 | Losing |
| Darbar | 2020 | 200 | 149.6 | Losing |
| Petta | 2019 | 160 | 134.6 | Losing |
The overall success ratio stands at only 20%, highlighting a challenging period for the superstar at the box office.
Can Coolie Change Rajinikanth’s Fortunes?
Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Coolie, releasing on August 14, 2025, carries a budget of about ₹350 crores. Thanks to massive hype and record-breaking advance bookings—over ₹110 crores globally for the opening weekend—the film is poised to deliver a historic box office performance. It has registered the third-best day 1 advance booking pre-sales of 2025 in India alone with over ₹27 crore already grossed from ticket sales for August 14.
Experts predict Coolie could gross between ₹150-175 crores worldwide on the opening day, potentially surpassing previous Tamil blockbusters in opening weekend collections. Overseas pre-sales are also robust, contributing substantially to the global tally.
With such numbers and positive anticipation, Coolie is expected to be Rajinikanth’s biggest opener in years and may significantly improve his recent box office track record.
Over the last 6 years, Rajinikanth’s box office success has been limited, with only Jailer breaking the mold as a blockbuster hit. The massive budget and high expectations around Coolie offer the superstar a golden chance to break the 20% success ratio streak, riding on strong pre-release momentum and fan anticipation.
Industry and audience eyes are glued to the release day to see if Coolie will mark a turning point in Rajinikanth’s illustrious career.
Stay tuned for more updates on Coolie and Rajinikanth’s box office journey in Indian cinema.