Chennai, the chosen land of superstar Rajinikanth

It is easy to slot actors into clichés, and often, Rajinikanth slips into that zone. The tossing of his hair backwards, the flick of a cigarette into the mouth, and lightning-quick dialogues have all become part of a template. But within these visible external props resides a fine actor, who can hold your attention in a tight close-up.

His eyes emote, and a forehead twitch conveys much more than expansive two-page speeches. As the superstar, who has seen 74 summers, turns 50 in his celluloid career, it is time for Chennai and the rest of the world to welcome his latest action flick Coolie, set to release in theatres today, Thursday (August 14, 2025).

The aura remains undiminished, and it is a trait that has been in vogue since his debut in 1975. Back in Madras, then, tickets had to be physically bought after standing in long queues. Online sales, deferred OTT release, and the digital economy did not exist, and this whole culture of carpet-bombing a film across theatres was never practised.

Demand for a big film was funnelled into four to five theatres, and Rajini’s flicks were no exception. His fans were the primary audience before word-of-mouth drew in families, and as a film grew across weeks, the Rajini-effect was there for all to see. 

At times, even after a fortnight, ticket sales remained on an upswing, and as women and children thronged the noon shows on weekdays, current booking counters often displayed the ‘house-full’ board. Upset tiny tots keen on watching the film would bawl their heads off, one kid even rolled on the floor at Wellington, an iconic theatre of those days.

The promise of seeing the movie on another day hardly registered with children fixated on the ‘here and now’, while flustered mothers were at their wits’ end. It was also a stage where duopolies ruled, Rajini-Kamal (Haasan) being a case in point. That this duo is still around is a testament to their skill and longevity.

In the 1980s, Mount Road, as Anna Salai was called then, had massive film cutouts. Rajini snarling astride a motorcycle or sauntering in with a pistol in his hand were all part of the visual stimuli on the arterial road that held Madras together.

Cut to the present, fans who grew up alongside Rajini, as well as modern converts, will all be present to see how Lokesh Kanagaraj has presented the star in Coolie. To dominate the box office from 1975 to the present is never easy, and Rajini has done that with his inimitable swagger. Through his unique way, the former Bengalurean remains a strong thread that binds Madras and Chennai together.