Lokesh Kanagaraj breaks silence on fan theories after Coolie trailer release that it is a sci-fi, time travel film

Is Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie a sci-fi film? Does it have time travel elements? Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has addressed these speculations at an event.

Published on: Aug 4, 2025, 17:13:05 IST

By Santanu Das

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Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is one of the most awaited films of the year. On Saturday, the makers released the official trailer of the film in Chennai. Rajinikanth, Shruti Hassan, Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan and the rest of the cast were present at the event. The trailer got a massive response, with social media ripe with fans speculating that Coolie could have elements of time travel and sci-fi.

Lokesh Kanagaraj's Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, releases on August 14.

What Lokesh said about Coolie

At a pre-release event of the film, director Lokesh Kanagaraj was asked about the social media discourse that fans were involved in, where many claimed that Coolie was either a sci-fi film or a time travel film or even both. He replied, “I used to read all those things but it actually surprises me as well. Just now I was discussing it with Sathyaraj sir that everybody says it's a sci-fi film and it's a time-travel film… I am so excited to see people, who are going to be surprised when they actually see what the film is all about.”

About Coolie

Coolie will not be a part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), which has the films Kaithi, Vikram and Leo. Apart from Rajinikanth, Coolie also stars Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Satyaraj, Upendra, Shoubin Shahir and others. Anirudh Ravichander has composed the film’s music. The Central Board of Film Certification awarded the film an A certificate.

The trailer of Coolie gave fans a glimpse of the setting, in which most of the action occurs in the underbelly of crime and smuggling. Rajinikanth makes a dashing entry as the ageing smuggler Deva. He devises a plan to reunite his old gang and take over. The shot of the trailer in which Rajinikanth's younger face is morphed into a photonegative image came as a surprise to many, with fans wondering whether the film is about time travel.

Coolie will release in theatres on 14 August and clash with Ayan Mukherji’s Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR-starrer War 2.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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