Veteran actor Sathyaraj, renowned for his iconic portrayal of Kattappa in the “Baahubali” films, is poised to share the screen with superstar Rajinikanth once again in the upcoming action thriller “Coolie.” This marks their reunion after 39 years, their last collaboration being the 1986 Tamil film “Mr. Bharath.”
Sathyaraj predicts ₹1000 crore success for ‘Coolie’
Table of Contents
Sathyaraj, whose real name is Rangaraj Subbiah, has a prolific career spanning over 200 films, primarily in Tamil cinema, with notable appearances in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada productions. While his career began in 1978, it was his role as Kattappa in SS Rajamouli’s two-part epic, “Baahubali: The Beginning” (2015) and “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” (2017), that catapulted him to nationwide fame. These films achieved monumental success, grossing over ₹2450 crore worldwide, with the second installment alone raking in ₹1800 crore.
Now, Sathyaraj is expressing immense confidence in his next project, “Coolie,” predicting it will also achieve the ₹1000 crore mark at the global box office. The highly anticipated action thriller, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, features a stellar cast including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, and Shruti Haasan, with Aamir Khan making a special appearance. At a grand trailer and audio launch event held in Chennai on August 2, Sathyaraj declared, “This will be Tamil cinema’s first Rs 1000 crore film.”
The on-screen pairing of Sathyaraj and Rajinikanth was last seen in “Mr. Bharath” in 1986. Despite being four years younger than Rajinikanth, Sathyaraj played his father in the S.P. Muthuraman directorial, a remake of the 1978 Hindi blockbuster “Trishul.” Their collaboration in “Coolie” is highly anticipated by fans.
Sathyaraj’s past rejections of Rajinikanth films
In a surprising revelation from 2024, Sathyaraj admitted to turning down roles in two of Rajinikanth’s major films: “Sivaji” and “Enthiran.” He explained that he was approached for Danny Denzongpa’s character in “Enthiran,” playing an evil scientist who manipulates Chitti Robo. Sathyaraj stated his dissatisfaction with both roles at the time, asserting, “I wasn’t satisfied with both roles. Otherwise, what problems do we have?.”
‘Coolie’ set for box office clash with ‘War 2’
The much-awaited “Coolie” is slated to lock horns with the Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR-starrer “War 2” at the box office on August 14. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, “War 2” is the sixth installment in the YRF Spy Universe, following successful films like “Ek Tha Tiger,” “Tiger Zinda Hai,” “War,” “Pathaan,” and “Tiger 3.” It serves as the direct sequel to the 2019 action thriller “War.”
Did you know? Sathyaraj’s role as Kattappa in the “Baahubali” films became so iconic that it significantly boosted his nationwide recognition after decades in the industry.
Could ‘Coolie’ become the next ₹1000 crore Indian film? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
