Headlined by Rajinikanth, the Tamil action thriller Coolie opened to mixed reviews from the audiences and critics upon its release on August 14. The film also featured Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Rachita Ram, and Shruti Haasan in the leading roles with Aamir Khan in a cameo appearance and Pooja Hegde in the item song Monica.
Coolie is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, who previously helmed Tamil action blockbusters Kaithi, Vikram, Leo, and Master. The film was set against the gritty backdrop of the Visakhapatnam docks and followed Rajinikanth's Deva, a former coolie turned rebel who uncovers a deadly smuggling syndicate while investigating his best friend's suspicious death.
The discovery of a secret electric chair, buried truths, and a hidden mole pulls him into a dangerous game of b