Movie Review : Coolie

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 The much awaited Superstar Rajinikanth starrer, Coolie, directed by  Lokesh Kanagaraj, hit theatres today, August 14th, worldwide.


When Rajasekar ( Sathyaraj) invents a mobile cremator chair, little does he know the danger it would land him and his 3 daughters, in.

A big don, Simon ( Nagarjuna) and his henchmen led by Dayalan ( Soubin Shahir) force him to use it on their enemies, with his daughter Preethi (Shruti Haasan) as an aide.










But when  Rajsekar's suddenly dies,  an old friend Deva, ( Rajinkanth) arrives at his doorstep in Vizag, all the way from Chennai to help the family,  a move which is resisted by Preethi. But  Deva is convinced the death was a murder and is determined to find the killers.  In the process, Deva walks into clear and present danger, and uncovers demons from his past,  that he must confront and overcome. What is his relationship with Rajsekar? What sinister plots does he uncover? Does he succeed in foiling the plans of the unknown villains? What happens next?

Coolie is clearly Lokesh's tribute to the Superstar and in his 50 year mark in the industry, a befitting one, that showcases not only  Rajini the charismatic star, but also Rajinkanth the consummate actor. 

The film is a heady mix of emotional moments that are given time to create an impact, even as the action blocks, suspense and drama are positioned at various points alongside, all making for a screenplay that moves at a steady pace,  keeping you glued with twists aplenty, but also giving scenes the breathing space needed,  to let you absorp and leave an impact. 

Rajini's intro scene, the chikitu vibe song, the 'powerhouse' moments, his witty interludes between stunts, his characteristic swag and above all his ability to draw you in with just the right dose of emotions, all laced with a certain gravitas and dignity commensurate with his age,  leave a, mark.  

Performances of the  other cast members are a big plus. Soubin Shahir delivers an outstanding performance while Nagarjuna, Upendra and Aamir Khan play out their parts with panache in just the right dose. Shruti Haasan has a meaty role and does full justice to it (though the sheer helplessness of the character in certain scenes gets a tad repetitive to watch and could have been better handled, giving her more agency to deal with certain situations). However,  her scenes with the Superstar do leave a mark.

The Monica song is even more impactful on screen with camerawork and choreography, and with Pooja Hegde and Soubin taking centrestage with their moves. 

Anirudh impresses yet again not only with the tracks but also his experimental bgm, while cameraman Girish Gangadharan's work captures the grandeur of the giant port backdrop, elaborate action blocks of Anbariv masters, the vibrant songs along with  the emotional moments and the charisma of the superstar with equal effectiveness.

The film seems a tad lengthy and could have been trimmed a bit for a crisper feel. The chair cremator scenes are not for the fainthearted.

Coolie, a commercial entertainer with its mass moments, twists, suspense, drama, action and emotions, all without going over the top, makes for a  worthwhile watch, marking 50 years of Rajinism. Watch out for the vintage scenes.

Rating 3.75/5


COOLIE CAST & CREW DETAILS

CAST

Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna,Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj,Aamir Khan, Reba Monica John, Kanna Ravi, Monisha Blessy, Kaali Venkat, Charle, Ayyappa P Sharma, Rachita Ram


Lollu Sabha Maran

Dhileepan

Tamizh

Rishikanth

 Junior MGR

Pooja Hegde (cameo appearance in the song Monica)

CREW

Production Company - Sun Pictures

Produced by – Kalanithi Maran

Directed by - Lokesh Kanagaraj

Story & Dialogues - Lokesh Kanagaraj

Additional Screenplay - Chandhru Anbazhagan

Music - Anirudh Ravichander

Cinematography - Girish Gangadharan

Editing - Philomin Raj

Production Design – Sathees Kumar

Lyrics – Vishnu Edavan, Arivu, Asal Kolaar, Amogh Balaji, Heisenberg

Choreography – Sandy

Stunts – Anbariv

Costume Design – Praveen Raja

Costumer – Mohammed Subier

Make- up – Sasikumar Paramasivam

Stills - Sittrarasu

PRO – Riaz K Ahmed, Paras Riaz

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