Lokesh Kanagaraj on Rajinikanth's Coolie: 'Wrote it down a long time ago, but we are going to witness it now'

Here’s what Lokesh Kanagaraj has to say about Rajinikanth starrer Coolie in his latest interview.

By Anjali Choudhury

Updated on May 11, 2025 | 06:05 PM IST | 97K

Lokesh Kanagaraj on Rajinikanth's Coolie: 'Wrote it down a long time ago, but we are going to witness it now' (PC: Lokesh Kanagaraj Instagram)

Coolie is one of the highly anticipated films of 2025. Starring Rajinikanth as the main lead, the movie will hit the big screens on August 14. Ahead of its grand release, director Lokesh Kanagaraj was roped in for an interview with Sudhir Srinivasan. During the fun chat, the interviewer noted that his approach to filmmaking seemed unusual.

Instead of starting with a full story and adding set pieces later, Lokesh Kanagaraj appeared to have his set pieces ready first. The interviewer pointed out that this method is usually seen in action films, where emotional elements are added afterward. He asked if the Kaithi director built the story around the set pieces or started with the narrative, and then added significant moments.

In response, Lokesh Kanagaraj explained that his approach is often centered around these big sequences. He cited Leo as an example. The filmmaker had narrated the film’s story four years ago, during the making of Master. The set pieces for the Vijay starrer were already planned back then. His team remembered them better than he did and would ask if anything had been changed.

He mentioned that his films don’t follow a linear structure. Instead, they are a sequence of events, tied together carefully to feel interconnected. For Coolie, he already had four such set pieces in mind and was thrilled to shoot them. The director added, "I wrote it down a long time ago, but we are going to witness it now. That excitement ends there."

When the interviewer gave an example that Vikram’s set pieces wouldn’t work in another film, Lokesh Kanagaraj agreed. He said, "Rajini sir shouldn't do Vikram, Kamal sir shouldn't do Coolie. It is all related to those set pieces. It is all distinctive action sequences and mind games. So, you cannot change it."

Coming back to Coolie, the movie will feature Rajinikanth alongside Upendra Rao, Soubin Shahir, Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan and others in prominent roles.

Take a look at its latest promo below: