The Indian box office witnessed a monumental face-off this past weekend with two of the year’s most anticipated films—Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, and War 2, featuring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR—battling for dominance. As per recent data from BookMyShow (BMS), Rajinikanth’s Coolie surged ahead in ticket sales, creating a massive gap between the two blockbusters.

On Sunday, August 17, Coolie sold approximately 480,790 tickets on BMS, pushing its weekend total to 4.79 million. In contrast, War 2 accumulated 2.95 million tickets across its opening weekend. This means Coolie led by an overwhelming 65%, marking one of the most significant opening weekend differences in recent box office history.

War 2 vs Coolie: Which Film Dominated the BMS Weekend Race?

The ticket sales battle between War 2 and Coolie paints a telling story of audience preference and regional dominance. Despite War 2 boasting a formidable star cast and being part of a well-established spy universe, Rajinikanth’s mass appeal and the strategic release timing of Coolie gave it a clear upper hand.

Here’s a breakdown of BMS ticket sales over the weekend:

Coolie BMS Ticket Sales:

Pre-Sales: 2.53 million
Day 1 (Thursday): 714.56K
Day 2 (Friday): 689.02K
Day 3 (Saturday): 480.79K
Day 4 (Sunday): 377.46K
Total: 4.79 million

War 2 BMS Ticket Sales:

Pre-Sales: 806.57K
Day 1 (Thursday): 676.48K
Day 2 (Friday): 745.06K
Day 3 (Saturday): 393K
Day 4 (Sunday): 330.67K
Total: 2.95 million

With Coolie entering the top 10 all-time first weekend ticket sales for Indian films on BMS, it has now displaced Gadar 2 from the list, which had recorded 2.97 million tickets in its opening weekend.

Why Did Coolie Outperform War 2?

Several factors contributed to Coolie‘s lead:

Star Power: Rajinikanth continues to command unmatched fandom across age groups and regions, especially in the South.
Director’s Influence: Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie benefited from immense pre-release buzz and a loyal fan base from his previous hits.
Regional Pull: Coolie had stronger traction in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, which collectively contributed to higher ticket sales.
Advance Bookings: A massive pre-sales performance of 2.53 million gave Coolie a strong head start that War 2 couldn’t match.

Meanwhile, War 2, despite its Bollywood mass appeal, performed below expectations when compared to its predecessors or even Jr NTR’s last outing Devara, which had slightly lower ticket sales at 2.9 million.

Industry Insights and What Lies Ahead

Box office experts suggest that Coolie’s weekend performance has set a precedent for upcoming regional biggies. It also emphasizes the shift in the power dynamic at the Indian box office, where South Indian cinema increasingly asserts its dominance.

War 2, while underwhelming in comparison, is not out of the race. The coming weekdays and word-of-mouth performance will be critical in determining if it can recover ground and sustain at the box office.

Currently, the top 10 Indian films in terms of BMS first weekend ticket sales are:

Pushpa 2: 9.49M
Kalki 2898 AD: 6.46M
Jawan: 6.02M
Leo: 4.86M
Jailer: 4.85M
Coolie: 4.79M
Animal: 4.25M
Salaar: 4.21M
Stree 2: 4.09M
Chhaava: 3.07M

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For your information:

How much lead does Coolie have over War 2 in ticket sales?
Coolie leads War 2 by more than 65% in BookMyShow ticket sales over the first weekend.

Did War 2 beat Jr NTR’s Devara in BMS sales?
Yes, War 2 surpassed Devara’s opening weekend ticket sales, registering 2.95 million tickets compared to Devara’s 2.9 million.

Is Coolie among the top 10 films in BMS history?
Yes, Coolie has entered the top 10 list for all-time highest first weekend ticket sales on BookMyShow, securing the 6th position.

Can War 2 catch up to Coolie during the weekdays?
While War 2 still has potential to gain momentum during weekdays, the large gap created by Coolie’s initial lead makes it a tough challenge.

What helped Coolie outperform War 2?
Rajinikanth’s stardom, a massive pre-sales number, and stronger performance in South Indian states contributed to Coolie’s success.