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War 2 vs Coolie: Rajinikanth made an average film a hit, Hrithik Roshan, NTR failed; why new-gen stars lack mass appeal
War 2 vs Coolie box office clash has proven that older superstars like Rakinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, or Mohanlal have that mass appeal that the next gen lacks.
War 2 vs Coolie box office: Two films released in theatres across India this weekend. Rajinikanth made a triumphant return to form with Lokesh Kanagaraj's Coolie; while Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR joined forces in Yash Raj Films' War 2. Both films had a lot going for them. Coolie had Rajni's star power, Loki's credibility, and a whole lot of cameos. War 2 had double the star power of two young stars, the momentum of being a legacy sequel, and one of the widest releases in Indian cinema history. What went against each film was its quality. Both War 2 and Coolie are bang average films.
Yet, Coolie was able to break several box office records. Despite lukewarm reviews, its word of mouth did not falter. But across the board, the same did not work for the combined might of Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR.
War 2 vs Coolie box office
War 2 released in over 4500 screens across India, one of the widest releases ever for an Indian film. The film has collected ₹173 crore net in India in its opening weekend. That may look like a big number, but the collections are on the downslide since the odd rise on Independence Day. The Ayan Mukerji film has a reported landing cost of ₹400 crore, which means War 2 is very far from its break-even point. A 42% dip on Saturday and no growth on Sunday show that the film may just be dying down now, which is worrying.
On the other hand, Coolie released in under 3000 screens, and has collected ₹194 crore net in India. The film has broken several Tamil cinema collection records, and surprisingly, given better occupancy returns than War 2 in Hindi and Telugu, beating two younger stars on their own turf. What has truly set Coolie apart is its overseas collection. In the first three days of release, buoyed by Rajni's superstardom, Coolie earned $16 million overseas, against War 2's $5.2 million. Clearly, Rajinikanth has obliterated Hrithik and NTR abroad.
What do Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR lack
If both films had average quality and lukewarm reviews, why did only one succeed, while the other ended dead in the water? The answer is simply one word: Rajinikanth. The 74-year-old's superstardom overpowered any negativity around the film. The loyalty his fans showed towards their idol was more than the influence any critic, review, or tweet could manage. Even in Kerala, Telangana, and Lucknow, shows of Coolie went housefull. Such a pan-India appeal is something younger stars can only dream of. In the recent past, only Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have managed to turn average films into big hits, be it a Pathaan or a Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Mohanlal did it to an extent with L2: Empuraan.
But the common thread is that all these stars have been around for over three decades (in Rajni's case, five decades). The goodwill and fanbase they have amassed is not the result of one odd blockbuster or a good run of a few years. The quality work they have done over the years has allowed them to coast, even with an average product now.
The younger stars like Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, Prabhas, Ram Charan, or Ranbir Kapoor do not have that luxury, that allowance. Their star powers will ensure good openings for their films. If the concept and buzz are good, it will sustain for a day or two. But beyond that, the public will not forgive a lack of quality. We saw that for Prabhas with Adipurush, for Ram Charan with Game Changer, and for Hrithik and NTR now. Even a not-so-bad film like Shamshera did not work despite Ranbir being at the helm, because the bar is just so much higher for younger stars. They still haven't arrested the attention of the masses quite like their seniors did. The troubling part is that all the superstars had managed that by their early 30s. Is it already too late for the 'new-gen', most of whom are in their mid or late 40s by now? Only time shall tell!
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