Lokesh Kanakaraj reveals ‘Coolie’ starring Rajinikanth suffered Rs 50 crore loss due to its A rating

Filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj recently opened up about how censorship hurdles affected his film ‘Coolie’ starring Rajinikanth. According to the director, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially recommended 35 cuts to grant a 'UA' certificate.

Lokesh Kanagaraj on the censorship hurdles his film ‘Coolie’ faced

During a recent press conference, Lokesh Kanagaraj spoke about the difficulties he faced with the CBFC for his 2025 release ‘Coolie’. The director revealed that the board asked for 35 cuts to grant a ‘UA’ certificate; however, he wasn’t ready to dilute the film’s impact and hence decided to settle for an ‘A’ - Adults Only rating. During that





"I was okay with the nine muted words they requested, but not the 35 cuts. The choice was between releasing a complete film with an 'A' certificate or an incomplete one with 'UA' certification. We applied for re-censoring, but they once again recommended the same 35 cuts," the ‘Coolie’ director said.

According to the director, the censor board found the film's themes unsuitable for younger audiences. Lokesh Kanagaraj refused to remove the scenes, which came at a steep cost. He revealed that the ‘A’ rating of the film led to a revenue loss of approximately Rs 40 to Rs 50 crore.

Lokesh Kanagaraj’s comments come amidst Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ being embroiled in the censorship row. On Tuesday, January 27, the Madras High Court set aside a single judge’s order that favored Vijay’s film. The film was originally announced to be released on January 9. However, with the certification issuance pending, the release date is yet to be announced. Lokesh Kanagaraj, however, didn’t comment on the ‘Jana Nayagan’ row. The director, however, confirmed that he is part of the project.

“H Vinoth (director) anna and Vijay anna called me, and I have done a cameo in that film. But that’s all I can say for now,” Lokesh Kanagaraj, who has helmed the Vijay starrer ‘Master (2021)’ and ‘Leo (2023)’, said.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”