At the grand audio launch of Coolie on August 2 at the Nehru Indoor Stadium, Rajinikanth set aside the usual star-film talk to share an intensely personal account of his life, particularly the lasting influence of his father and family during his formative years. Sun Pictures unveiled the actor's complete speech on their official YouTube channel on Monday.
“This film is truly close to my heart… I was a coolie first, then a conductor, and after that, an artist,” he began, explaining why the title resonates deeply with his own life.
He spoke at length about his elder brother’s determination to see him educated despite financial struggles at home. “My elder brother really wanted me to get educated… He kept saying, ‘Education is important. If just you get an education, it’s like the whole family is educated.’” But their father, a straight-talking man earning a modest salary and running a petty shop, did not see the value in spending scarce money on a son he doubted would pass his exams.
Rajinikanth admitted he eventually took the money meant for exam fees and ran away to Madras, seeking work — only to return home empty-handed. His father’s response was swift and unembarrassed. “From tomorrow, you go work as a coolie, lifting sacks,” he was told. His father would even introduce him to others by saying, with pride rather than shame, “My first son works in the corporation, my second son’s in the military, and my third son escaped to Madras with money; now he’s working as a coolie!”
Recalling those days, he described the exhausting work of unloading and delivering 100-kilo rice sacks for a few rupees. He also remembered moments of kindness from co-workers, like allowing the young Rajinikanth to take certain delivery jobs so he could earn a little more. But some encounters were painful, such as meeting an old schoolmate at the depot who mocked him for ending up as a coolie. “Leaning on those sacks, I cried for the very first time in my life,” he revealed.
Rajinikanth closed his account with gratitude for the journey that followed, from conductor to actor, and for the values he tries to live by. “No matter what I do, I can never repay this debt. As much as I can, I try to listen to God’s voice and live by that. That’s why I’m happy, and those around me are happy too.”