Rajinikanth calls fans ‘gods who keep me alive’ as he completes 50 years in films, Coolie gets ₹150 crore opening
Rajinikanth penned a note on social media thanking his fans and also celebrities like Mohanlal, Mammootty, Ilaiyaraaja and Kamal Haasan.
On 15 August 2025, it will have been 50 years since Rajinikanth debuted on-screen with K Balachander’s Apoorva Raagangal. The Tamil superstar took to social media to thank his fans, apart from his friends in the film industry, on the momentous occasion, as his latest release, Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie, had a ₹150 crore opening worldwide. Here’s what he wrote.

Rajinikanth calls fans his gods
Rajinikanth released a statement in Tamil wishing fans on the 79th Independence Day and thanking politicians and celebrities for standing by him. He wrote in Tamil, “My heartfelt thanks to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, BJP leader Nainar Nagendiran, my friend Annamalai, Madam Sasikala, Dhinakaran, Madam Premalatha and to other friends in politics who supported me on my 50-year journey in the film industry.”
He also expressed gratitude to his friends from the film industry, including actors Kamal Haasan, Mammootty, and Mohanlal, and music composer Ilaiyaraaja. He then thanked his fans for the love he has received all these years, writing, “I also express my heartfelt thanks to my fans, who are the gods who make me live.” Fans were moved by his post, with one of them commenting, “Love you thalaivaaaa! you may not know me, but you have touched my life in ways I can’t even explain.” Another wrote, “Thalaivaaaa..a only wish that u entertain us more like this..u gave unforgettable child hood memories which is continuing till date.”
About Coolie
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Sun Pictures, Coolie stars Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, Upendra, and Aamir Khan. The film's ₹150 crore opening worldwide made it the highest opening for a Tamil film. Coolie released in theatres on 14 August and clashed with War 2 starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR.
ABOUT THE AUTHORNeeshita NyayapatiDespite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More
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