Did Lokesh Kanakaraj Really Complete 'Coolie' with Rs Five Crore Left?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Nagarjuna highlights the efficient budgeting of Coolie.
- Lokesh Kanakaraj completed the film with Rs five crore left.
- The film features Rajinikanth and a stellar cast.
- Coolie is set to release on August 14.
- It marks the reunion of Sathyaraj and Rajinikanth after 38 years.
Chennai, Aug 5 (NationPress) Telugu superstar Nagarjuna, who is set to portray the antagonist in director Lokesh Kanakaraj's highly anticipated action film 'Coolie', recently revealed that Lokesh managed to finish the film significantly under budget, concluding the project with Rs five crore to spare.
At a pre-release event for Coolie, Nagarjuna praised Lokesh Kanakaraj's clarity of vision and efficiency in production. He mentioned, "While we were in Bangkok for the final schedule, Lokesh told me, 'Sir, I was given a specific budget, and we still have Rs Five crore remaining. The film is complete.' That’s remarkable for such a large-scale project!"
Nagarjuna went on to commend Lokesh’s innovative approach, noting, "He utilizes a six-camera setup. Most scenes were captured in just one take. When I viewed the preliminary edit, I was surprised, thinking, 'Did I perform that well?' Even though my character is negative, the experience was enriching. Co-stars like Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Soubin, and Upendra were exceptional," he stated.
For those unfamiliar, Coolie, featuring the legendary Rajinikanth in the lead role, has generated immense buzz. Industry whispers suggest that Lokesh Kanakaraj's exciting action film may debut in over 100 countries when it releases on August 14 this year.
Besides Rajinikanth, the film features a stellar cast, including Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, Aamir Khan, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, and Shruti Haasan.
Music for the film is composed by Anirudh, marking his fourth collaboration with Lokesh Kanagaraj. The cinematography is handled by Girish Gangadharan, while editing is done by Philomin Raj.
This film is particularly anticipated as it marks the reunion of Sathyaraj and Rajinikanth after nearly 38 years. They were last seen together in the blockbuster 'Mr Bharath', released in 1986, where Sathyaraj played Rajinikanth's father. Notably, Sathyaraj had previously declined roles in several of Rajinikanth's earlier films, including 'Enthiran' and 'Sivaji'.
'Coolie', which is Rajinikanth's 171st film, revolves around the theme of gold smuggling. Interestingly, Lokesh Kanakaraj has confirmed that Coolie will stand as an independent film and is not part of his Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU).