War 2 vs Coolie: Who is winning at the box office?

This weekend is seeing the clash of two multi-starrer action-thriller films – War 2 and Coolie. Both of these films host a big star cast with Hrithik Roshan and NTR starring in the lead of War 2 and Rajnikant, Nagarjun and Aamir Khan spearheading Coolie. War 2, on one hand, has received decent applause with criticism on the story of the film; Coolie has also received criticism for its predictability despite Rajnikant’s heroic portrayal.

Despite the critical assessment of the two films, both have crossed the ₹100 crore mark at the box office, within two days of the release, due to Independence Day’s long weekend.

War 2 had amassed ₹142.35 crore as of Saturday, according to box office collection data provider Sacnilk. Coolie had garnered more than War 2 with an India net collection of ₹158.25 crore.

Yet, for War 2, the occupancy levels have seen a dip on Saturday compared to the other two days. The current theatre occupancy percentage stands at 31.42%. Across cities, only Bengaluru and Chennai, with much fewer shows than the North, have occupancy levels above 50%. Occupancy in New Delhi and Mumbai has dropped to as low as 25%.

Meanwhile, Coolie has a much better and almost double the theatre occupancy levels. Theatre occupancy currently stands at 65.99%, with the highest occupancy during night shows of the film. Across cities of the South of the country, occupancy percentages hover within the range of 80-90%; however, in the North, cities such as Delhi NCR have occupancy of 26.50%.

Tamil film Coolie is helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj, known for his stylish narratives and action-driven storytelling. The project is being backed on a grand scale by Sun Pictures.

The movie boasts a star-studded ensemble cast, led by Rajinikanth, who takes on the central role. Joining him on screen are celebrated actors Nagarjuna Akkineni, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, Sathyaraj, and Soubin Shahir. Aamir Khan also features in a pivotal but small role.

War 2 is being directed by Ayan Mukerji, who is known for bringing a grand visual scale and strong storytelling to his films. The project is being mounted by Yash Raj Films, a banner that has consistently delivered some of India’s biggest blockbusters.

Carrying forward the legacy of the spy-action franchise, War 2 features Hrithik Roshan, as NTR Jr., making his Hindi film debut, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana and Anil Kapoor.