Coolie Review: The term “Pan-India” is often heard in Indian cinema, but Lokesh Kanagaraj’s new film “Coolie: The Power House” proves this term to be true. The film has brought together a superstar from every major film industry of the country – Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam.
- Rajinikanth from Tamil,
- Aamir Khan from Hindi,
- Nagarjuna from Telugu,
- Upendra from Kannada,
- and a key character from Malayalam.
This casting in itself gives the feel of an “Avengers-style team”, which is an achievement for any filmmaker.
Story and presentation
The foundation of the film is a mystery thriller. Rajinikanth’s character used to be a coolie. After several decades, he gets the news of the unusual death of his old friend. During the investigation, it is revealed that it was a murder. These clues lead him towards organized of crime world and where every character has his own hidden intentions.
The story unfolds slowly and it is difficult for the audience to guess what will happen next. In this sense, the film reminds one of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s previous film “Vikram” – mystery, double-cross and constant suspense.
Rajinikanth and other actors
The biggest attraction is Rajinikanth. Despite being over 70, his character’s entry, dialogue delivery and “ora” (swag) make the audience applaud.
Nagarjuna and Upendra have got relatively less screen time.
Aamir Khan’s character was talked about, but its depth seems limited.
Shruti Haasan and other actors also played their roles as they were given through script, although the main focus was always on Rajinikanth.
Cinematography and music
The cinematography of the film is commendable and deserve to get praised because of their work in Extreme close-up shots and visual style make the film stylish. Every scene has been focused on “ora farming” i.e. showing the hero’s glory.
Anirudh’s music once again gives energy to the film. The background score is spine-chilling at places and makes the big scenes even more impressive.
Weaknesses
The biggest challenge of the film is its length and pace (pacing). In this almost three-hour long film, many scenes seem to be unnecessarily dragged. The magical tightness and constant thrills of “Vikram” are not felt here.
Also, some viewers will come expecting “mass masala action”, but this film is mostly based on “suspense-driven story”. In such a situation, those who do not like to watch a film with a brain may be disappointed.
Conclusion
“Coolie: The Power House” is worth watching because of its stars. It is a star-celebration where Rajinikanth’s charisma stands at the forefront. The story is interesting, the music is impressive and the presentation is stylish.
However, if you are expecting both precise thrills and “mass entertainment” together like “Vikram”, then the film may disappoint to some extent.
👉 Overall, the film falls in the “okay but must-watch” category – especially for audiences who want to celebrate their favourite stars on the big screen.
