In a cinematic landscape increasingly driven by fresh faces, billion-rupee budgets, and pan-India crossover ambitions, a 74-year-old superstar has managed to outshine them all, without fanfare, without flashy promotions, at least yet. As the first half of 2025 winds to a close, IMDb has updated its list of the most anticipated Indian films for the rest of the year. Topping it is Coolie, an action-packed thriller helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and fronted by none other than Rajinikanth.
That Coolie sits above high-profile releases like War 2 (Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR), The RajaSaab (Prabhas), and Alpha (Alia Bhatt) is not just an indication of Rajinikanth’s enduring star power but a sign that Indian audiences are craving a mix of nostalgia, novelty, and narrative edge. According to IMDb, the ranking is based on actual page views by over 250 million monthly visitors between January 1 and July 1, making this less of an editorial selection and more of a mirror to global curiosity.
Set for release on August 14, Coolie is positioned not just as a film but as a cinematic event. Apart from Rajinikanth, the film features other prominent names such as Sathyaraj, who reunites with Rajinikanth on screen after 38 years; Nagarjuna Akkineni, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Reba Monica John, among others. Pooja Hegde and Aamir Khan are set to be seen in important cameos.
“This recognition from IMDb reflects the incredible excitement our fans have shown worldwide,” said director Lokesh Kanagaraj. “The reunion of legends Rajinikanth and Sathyaraj has created magic on screen, and we hope what we’ve made resonates with audiences as deeply as we intended.”
Interestingly, Coolie shares its release date with War 2, setting up one of Indian cinema’s biggest box-office clashes in years. But if IMDb buzz is any indicator, Coolie has already won the first round of this duel, not by marketing muscle, but through sheer organic interest. While Rajinikanth's fan base is a major factor, this win can also be attributed to the anticipation Lokesh Kanagaraj has developed for his directorials over the past years, with releases like Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo.
There’s something quietly radical about a septuagenarian leading the year’s most anticipated film. In an age obsessed with reinvention and youth, Coolie proves that legacy, when paired with a director who understands how to modernise myth, is still the ultimate crowd-puller.
And maybe that’s the real story here. In 2025, audiences don’t just want spectacle. They want meaning. They want memory. And they want Rajinikanth, one more time, doing what only he can. With the second single set to be unveiled this evening and a whole lot of marketing and promotions scheduled for the next two months, only time will tell if Coolie will emerge as the most money-making film of the year.
