Plot (brief): Deva (Rajinikanth) runs Deva Mansion, a refuge for students. When his friend Rajshekhar (Sathyaraj) dies — officially from cardiac arrest but actually from an injury — Deva uncovers a murder cover-up and dives into a smuggling ring in Visakhapatnam to find the truth. The investigation drags up buried secrets from Deva’s own past, tying personal history to the present crime and driving the film toward a violent, emotional confrontation.
What works:
Lokesh Kanagaraj leans into mass-entertainment with genuine affection for his star. The second half is where the film truly clicks — tighter pacing, escalating stakes, and well-timed twists that keep you hooked. Rajinikanth delivers exactly what his audience wants: effortless charisma, punchy one-liners, and commanding screen presence. The de-aging shots (used for nostalgia) mostly land as intended and amplify the emotional beats in the flashbacks, especially the Rajinikanth–Sathyaraj sequences, which are a highlight.
Performances & cameos:
Nagarjuna as the drug lord Simon brings a chilling, restrained menace; Soubin Shahir’s Dayal is memorably unsettling; Upendra packs swagger as Deva’s fierce right-hand; and Rachita Ram steals scenes with a surprise role and an impressively organic action sequence. Sathyaraj and Shruti Haasan provide solid support, while Aamir Khan’s cameo is smartly placed and never overstays its welcome. Overall, the ensemble lifts the material whenever the central momentum dips.
Direction & writing:
Lokesh learns from earlier tonal slips and strikes a better balance between fan service and narrative drive. The first half indulges in songs, dances, and extended setups that slow the film’s build — but those indulgences pay off for fans. The second half repays patience with focused storytelling and punchy set pieces.
Music & technicals:
Anirudh’s soundtrack is crowd-pleasing and the background score elevates action beats effectively. Action choreography and production design evoke the required scale; only some emotional cues rely on familiar musical shorthand.
The flaws:
A bloated first half and a few pacing choices keep the runtime feeling long at times. The film doesn’t quite reach the narrative heights of Lokesh’s best work (like Kaithi or Vikram), but it’s a far more successful, crowd-pleasing outing than some of his recent experiments.
Verdict:
Coolie is a high-energy, nostalgia-charged entertainer that celebrates Rajinikanth’s mass appeal while offering enough craft and surprises to interest casual viewers too. It’s an enjoyable, star-driven ride — part tribute, part crime thriller — with cameos and twists that reward both fans and general audiences. Whether it slots into the Lokesh Cinematic Universe is left tantalisingly ambiguous, which is exactly how the film likes it.
