Rajinikanth's 'Coolie' Falls Short of Expectations: Director Lokesh Kanagaraj Addresses Fan Theories and Creative Integrity

Rajinikanth's recently released film 'Coolie' scored big numbers at the box office but also opened to mixed responses from the audience. Despite its massive scale and pre-release hype, the film did not meet expectations of becoming the highest-grossing Tamil film of all time. During a recent public appearance, Lokesh Kanagaraj reflected on the role of fan enthusiasm and the challenges of managing audience expectations.Let's take a closer look. According to the India Today report, speaking at the SSVM Transforming India Conclave 2025 in Coimbatore, Lokesh Kanagaraj also took the opportunity to address some of the widely speculated fan theories surrounding 'Coolie'.The filmmaker clarified that he never marketed the film as a time-travel story or a part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), theories that gained significant traction online. The filmmaker added, "In fact, I didn’t even release a trailer. For 18 months, I kept everything under wraps. Yet, people will continue to have expectations. How can I stop that?" he explained.The director firmly stated that he will not compromise his creative integrity to meet audience demands. "Nevertheless, I can never write stories to meet their expectations. I will write a story, and if it clicks, that’s good. If not, I’ll try again," he affirmed.At the event, Kanagaraj expressed his gratitude towards the audience, acknowledging their vital role in the film industry. "I never said anything. But it’s their excitement that brought me here."He added that without people's enthusiasm, no one could make films, and it applies to everyone—him, stars, and the technicians. The director added, "Hence, I can’t criticize audience expectations."Produced by Kalanithi Maran with a budget of Rs 350–400 crore, 'Coolie' featured a star-studded cast including Nagarjuna Akkineni and Shruti Haasan. According to Sacnilk, the film grossed Rs 507.75 crore worldwide. While a commercial success, it fell short of surpassing the worldwide collections of Rajinikanth's 'Jailer' and Kanagaraj's own 'Leo.'