Rajinikanth vs NTR: Will ‘Coolie’ and ‘War 2’ Strike Gold at the Telugu Box Office?

The Telugu film trade is bracing for a colossal box office showdown as two of Indian cinema’s biggest stars—Superstar Rajinikanth and Young Tiger NTR—gear up to clash this Independence Day. With Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie and the high-octane action drama War 2 slated to release on August 14, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Despite the direct competition, Telugu distributors are going all in. Coolie’s theatrical rights for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been acquired for a massive ?42 crore by leading distributors Dil Raju, Asian Suniel Narang, and Suresh Babu. For the film to break even, it needs to gross close to ?90 crore in the Telugu states—no small feat, making this one of the riskiest distribution bets in recent memory.

Rajinikanth’s fan base remains rock-solid, especially in urban pockets. However, he faces stiff competition in Telugu territory from NTR, whose massive local following could split the audience right down the middle. Even more interesting is the recent admission by Dil Raju’s partner Shirish, who revealed that their previous Rajinikanth releases failed to recover costs. However, the presence of Lokesh Kanagaraj—riding high after Vikram and Kaithi—has injected hope that Coolie might buck the trend.

Meanwhile, War 2, a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster from the YRF Spy Universe, is being released in Telugu by Naga Vamsi under the Sithara Entertainments banner. Initially, Yash Raj Films demanded ?100 crore for Telugu rights—a figure that stunned trade insiders, especially with Coolie hitting screens the same day. Adding to the concern was the War 2 teaser, which received mixed reactions online and was even subjected to trolling.

Eventually, Naga Vamsi managed to negotiate a significantly reduced price with YRF, though the final amount remains undisclosed. While it eased the financial risk somewhat, War 2 still represents a hefty investment—particularly for a Hindi film attempting to penetrate the Telugu market, even with a superstar like NTR leading the charge.

As it stands, both films are targeting the same release date, same territories, and a largely overlapping audience. While Coolie carries the aura of Rajinikanth and the mass appeal of Lokesh Kanagaraj, War 2 has the action spectacle, the YRF brand, and NTR’s powerful screen presence. However, with such massive price tags attached, box office recovery is far from guaranteed.

All eyes are now on the opening weekend, which will be critical in determining whether these high-stakes gambles will pay off—or burn holes in distributors’ pockets.