The Independence Day box office battle between two of the year's most anticipated films, Rajinikanth 's 'Coolie' and Hrithik Roshan-Jr NTR starrer 'War 2' is buzzing. The early numbers reveal a clear frontrunner. With both films releasing on August 14, the advance booking battle is already tilting heavily in favour of the Superstar.
'Coolie' dominates early bookings
Trade expert Ramesh Bala revealed to India Today that 'Coolie' has raked in Rs 75 crore in worldwide pre-sales as of yesterday, compared to the Rs 10–15 crore reported for 'War 2'. Updated figures today indicate the Rajinikanth starrer has already crossed Rs 80 crore in advance sales, taking a lead before a single ticket is sold on release day.

About 'Coolie'

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, 'Coolie' boasts a powerhouse cast including Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and Aamir Khan. The film's first-day domestic sales alone are staggering, around 9.1 lakh tickets sold, grossing between Rs 19.6 crore and Rs 26.2 crore (including block seats).
The film is highly anticipated as it marks Rajinikanth's 171st movie and celebrates his 50 years in cinema. The story centres on a mysterious man named Deva, played by Rajinikanth, who stands up against a corrupt syndicate exploiting coolie workers in a coastal port town.

'War 2' sales
Meanwhile, 'War 2', directed by Ayan Mukerji and part of the blockbuster Spy Universe, is seeing a more measured start in India. The film has so far sold over 67,000 tickets across its Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu versions for day one, grossing around Rs 2.4 crore domestically and Rs 6.12 crore with block seats.
The film revolves around a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase between Vikram and Kabir, exploring themes of betrayal, duty, and redemption. The movie also stars Kaira Advani as the female lead and also includes Ashutosh Rana, Shabir Ahluwalia and others.