'Coolie': Director Lokesh Kanagaraj explains inclusion of song 'Monica' in the film; says it was added for business

Superstar Rajinikanth will be seen in the upcoming drama thriller 'Coolie' directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The movie features a chartbuster 'Monica' ft Pooja Hegde and Soubin Shahir. Known for his gritty and intense narratives, the director recently shared why he included the special number.

Not his style

According to a report by 123Telugu, during a promotional event, the director shared that the song 'Monica' was only included for business purposes and his movies don't usually have special numbers.


The director referenced that in the 2023 blockbuster 'Jailer' directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, where 'Kaavaalaa' became a viral hit. In that case, there was scope for Rajinikanth to be involved in the dance, making it blend seamlessly with the story. But 'Coolie', he says, didn’t offer that kind of opportunity. "In Jailer, the 'Kaavaalaa' song had scope for Rajinikanth sir to dance, but in Coolie, there was no such scope. Soubin was the reason for placing it," he explained.

Known for hits like 'Kaithi', 'Vikram', and 'Master', Lokesh has built a reputation for tightly-knit storytelling and strong character arcs.

Coolie received 'A' certificate

'Coolie' has received an 'A' certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), indicating its mature content aligned with the intense drama and action sequences.

The official trailer is set to launch on August 2, 2025, at a grand event titled Coolie Unleashed.

About the film

'Coolie' is a gripping story of an ageing smuggler, played by Rajinikanth, who reforms his gang to take down a powerful gold smuggling empire. The film is expected to be a hard-hitting action entertainer packed with stars including Nagarjuna Akkineni, Upendra Rao, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, and others. Apart from the main cast, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan will also be seen playing a cameo role.

The trailer of the film was released recently and shows Rajinikanth in a gritty, intense avatar as Deva, an old daily wage worker with a mysterious and dark past, who is forced to rise against a formidable kingpin to protect his friend.

The movie is set to release on August 14, during the Independence Day window. The film will clash at the box office with 'War 2'. Meanwhile, Lokesh's previous directorial venture was the Vijay starrer 'Leo' which received good reviews.