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'Coolie,' produced by Sun Pictures, boasts a stellar cast, including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan and Soubin Shahir.
The release date of Lokesh Kanagaraj's next film Coolie, with Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead role, has been announced.
Produced by Sun Pictures, Rajinikanth’s 171st film will release in theatres on August 14 this year.
The film recently wrapped up its shooting. Coolie, produced by Sun Pictures, boasts a stellar cast, including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan and Soubin Shahir. Anirudh Ravichander will compose music for the project, and reports suggest that the film revolves around gold smuggling, with Rajinikanth donning a massy avatar. Notably, Aamir Khan is expected to make a cameo appearance, adding further interest.
Lokesh has also confirmed that Coolie will not be part of his popular film universe called the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU).
After Coolie, Rajinikanth will be seen in Jailer 2 where he reunites with director Nelson.
In an earlier conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, the director revealed what it was like to direct Rajinikanth.
“It’s a dream for me… a blessing to work with Kamal sir and Rajini sir,” he said. “I want to show him what a Kamal Haasan fan can do with a Rajinikanth film.”
While he’s been an overt Haasan fan, Kanagaraj revealed that he’d grown up with Rajinikanth’s filmography and working with him was a surreal experience.
The director added that there was no difference between Rajinikanth’s on-screen and off-screen personas. “He keeps thinking about the scene, about what the other actor will do. He won't even sit or rest,” said Kanagaraj. “Even for the suggestion shots, for which we can easily use someone else to stand in, he chooses to stand in for himself.”
After Maanagaram (2017), Rajinikanth was the first to call the director and they had been talking ever since. Kanagaraj added that since he is now six films old, Rajinikanth knows what to expect from a director like him. “And I know how I want to show[case] Rajini sir to the people. It's a collaboration,” he said.
The director also mentioned that while Rajinikanth’s superstardom didn’t influence his writing process to a great extent, he certainly did keep his enormous fan base in mind.
“When it comes to South films, fans want to celebrate Rajini sir, even if it's a film that talks about a lot of social issues,” he said. “They want to celebrate their idol onscreen. After a film’s announcement is made, it takes one-and-a-half to two years for the fans to see it on screen. After all, their expectations build day-by-day with all the promotions we do and all the interviews we give.”