The Rajinikanth mania for Coolie has reached fever pitch, with first-day first-show (FDFS) tickets being sold at exorbitant rates — reportedly up to ₹4,500 — as fans across South India and beyond rush to secure seats. Advance bookings have slammed ticketing platforms, while some genuine fans are left shocked by black-market prices for early shows.
Sources say a popular Chennai theatre listed some tickets at a staggering ₹4,500. In Pollachi, a staffer was filmed selling an FDFS ticket for ₹400 — a practice that violates Tamil Nadu government rules. Observers say single-screen theatres and fan clubs are exploiting demand to sell tickets unofficially at inflated rates.
Many fans told media they tried booking through official apps but found shows already blocked or sold out, forcing some either to buy from scalpers or wait for later shows at government-regulated prices. The craze extends beyond Tamil Nadu: dubbed versions of Coolie are seeing high demand in other states and international markets.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will screen the film in Tamil and Telugu, and both states permit early-morning shows under certain conditions — a key reason some fans plan cross-border travel to catch FDFS screenings. One Chennai resident said friends were even willing to drive overnight to Nagari in Andhra Pradesh to watch the first show and then head to work.
Early-morning screenings were widely allowed in Tamil Nadu before 2023 (1 am, 4 am, 5 am slots). However, after a fan died outside Rohini theatre during the Thunivu vs Varisu clash in 2023, the state government curtailed permissions for such shows. That restriction has pushed many die-hard fans to neighbouring states to continue the tradition of pre-dawn celebrations.
These morning shows are often accompanied by exuberant fanfare — crackers, dances and in-theatre celebrations — turning a film premiere into a full-scale festival for devotees of the star.
