Rajinikanth’s Coolie Or Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR’s War 2 – Who Will Win Box Office Battle? Know Advance Booking Update, Day 1 Prediction

Rajinikanth headliner Coolie is up against the YRF actioner War 2 featuring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and the new mom Kiara Advani. Both films will release on the same day, giving rise to an unavoidable box office comparison. After days of screen share battle and fan wars, both War 2 and Coolie will be put to the test on August 14, a day before Independence Day. A few hours before the release of the films, here is a round-up of the advance booking collections of the movies, factors that work in favour of the movie, box office predictions and fan buzz around Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan Jr NTR’s War 2.

Coolie vs War 2 – Independence Day box office showdown!

Independence Day has historically been reserved for iconic clashes between big releases. Movie makers block the calendar date, hoping to benefit from the public holiday on August 15. This year, Coolie and War 2 have the added advantage of the extended long weekend. Since Independence Day falls on a Friday this year, the makers of both the movies decided to release the movie on Thursday to cash in on the holiday spirit and enjoy collections from the three-day weekend. While cinegoers will be spoiled for choice, the opportunity has presented itself as a money-making venture for the producers.

Advance Booking: Who’s ahead, War 2 or Coolie? 

The advance booking for War 2 opened on August 10. While the initial trends showed a lukewarm interest in the Hrithik Roshan headliner, the collections suddenly surged following the commencement of the booking for the Telugu version of the movie. After the rapid ticket sales, War 2 has amassed a total of ₹12.94 Cr, at the time of publishing, as per Sacnilk. Rajinikanth's Coolie has registered a clear lead in the advance booking sales. The movie has raked in more than double that of War 2 in pre-sales. As per Sacnilk, the advance booking for Coolie stands at ₹29.82 Cr.

Also Read: 39 Years Back Hrithik Roshan And Rajinikanth Shared Screen In Bhagwaan Dada, Movie Scene Goes Viral Ahead Of Coolie Vs War 2 Clash | Watch

Box office predictions and regional dominance for the opening day of Coolie and War 2

Trade analyst Sumit Kadel took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to share the prediction of the winner between Coolie and War 2 in the clash. He admitted that while fan sentiment appeared differently a week back, early trends confirm that the Rajinikanth starrer will establish a clear lead. He added that the film is eyeing a ‘historic ₹30-40 cr’ opening in Tamil Nadu alone. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, too, Coolie has emerged as the first choice of cinegoers. He predicts that War 2 will gross over ₹30 crore in the Hindi version on day 1. According to the trade expert, the Rajinikanth starrer is likely to open between ₹150 cr to ₹200 crore.

Star Power, Pan-India Appeal: What will work for Coolie and War 2?

War 2 

The YRF actioner has many factors tilting the scale in its favour. The film is riding on the pan-India appeal with the biggest superstars of North and South India - Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, respectively. This will ensure fans from Hindi- as well as Telugu-speaking belts will visit the big screens for the movie. Additionally, War 2 also has the sequel appeal. The film is the second chapter after the 2019 movie and the sixth in the YRF spy universe, adding to fans' expectations of seeing a crossover from other films like Pathaan, Tiger and Alpha. Lastly, War 2 has been certified U/A by the CBFC, which will ensure that family audiences can watch the movie and enjoy the holiday spirit together.

Also Read: War 2 Vs Coolie: 5 Reasons Why Hrithik Roshan-Jr NTR Starrer Can Edge Out Rajinikanth's Actioner At The Box Office

Coolie

The biggest and arguably the only factor required for Coolie to have an edge over War 2 is the presence of Rajinikanth. The film has sold tickets to the tune of crores only because of the name of the legendary actor. Additionally, the credibility of director Lokesh Kanagaraj is also a big contributing factor for Coolie's success, especially after the phenomenal run of movies in LCU. Despite the gore and the ‘A' certificate, the Rajinikanth starrer also has the genre appeal working in its favour. Action movies have historically proven to be money churners at the Indian box office. Lastly, the 20-minute cameo by Aamir Khan has helped generate interest from the Hindi-speaking regions for Coolie.

Fan reactions before War 2 and Coolie release

Fans of Coolie and War 2 have been working overtime to keep the movies trending on social media. The film names, along with the actor's names and the first reviews, have received multiple impressions on social media platforms like X, Instagram and Reddit. Fans of the actors have been praying for the film's success and have also arranged special screenings. As a result, both War 2 and Coolie have been trending for the past several days. 


Also Read: Hrithik Congratulates Rajinikanth Ahead Of War 2 Vs Coolie Clash