Rajinikanth’s ‘Coolie’ overtakes Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1 ’ as the second-biggest Tamil hit in North America

Superstar Rajinikanth’s Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has scored yet another milestone overseas. The film has now grossed USD 6.60 million in North America within just 9 days, surpassing Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1, which had ended its run with USD 6.46 million. This makes Coolie the second highest-grossing Tamil film ever in North America, an extraordinary feat given the film’s sharp weekday drops.The number one spot is still held by Rajinikanth’s Jailer which had gone on to collect USD 6.83 million in its lifetime run. On Day 9, Coolie collected USD 93,000, pushing its cumulative total to USD 6.60 million. Out of this, the Telugu version contributed USD 1.81 million, underlining the film’s pan-Indian appeal even in overseas markets. What makes this achievement striking is the pace: Mani Ratnam’s period epic had required weeks of sustained performance to reach USD 6.46 million, while Coolie managed to surpass that benchmark in barely a week and a half.The journey began with record-breaking previews. Coolie raked in USD 3.04 million from its premiere shows alone, setting the tone for a historic run. The extended four-day opening weekend pushed the film past the USD 5 million mark swiftly, though post-weekend numbers have shown a gradual dip.Back home, the film’s box office story has been similar, post day 1 the collection has been dipping with each passing day with only exception being the second Saturday where it collected over Rs 10 crore . After 10 days, Coolie’s India net stands at Rs 245.50 crore, powered by stellar openings across Tamil Nadu and significant contributions from Telugu-speaking states.The comparison with Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 is noteworthy. Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus, adapted from Kalki Krishnamurthy’s celebrated historical novel, boasted an ensemble cast including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Karthi, and Sobhita Dhulipala. Its grandeur and literary lineage gave it a cultural heft that translated into a long, steady theatrical run worldwide. Coolie, on the other hand, is a mass entertainer built on Rajinikanth’s superstar charisma and supported by names like Nagarjuna, Shoubin Shahir, Upendra , Shruti Haasan and Aamir Khan.