n 2015, Rajinikanth moved to Madras High Court seeking a stay on the release of the Hindi film Main Hoon Rajinikanth to prevent using his name and reputation for commercial gain.
The Hindi
spoof film, directed by Faisal Saif courted controversy for using Rajinikanth's
name in the title without his consent. Although the lead actor Aditya Menon
reassured that Main Hoon Rajinikanth is a tribute to
the star and doesn't show him a bad light, Rajinikanth moved to HC stating that
it might affect his fan base and that he is against "gross
commercialisation of his name and reputation." In his petition,
Rajinikanth said he has "never endorsed" any film or product using
his name as it might "mislead his fans". He also submitted that
despite he being exceptionally well known and enjoying the adoration and
recognition of his fans across the globe, he has deliberately chosen not to
authorise any biopic featuring him or create any work based upon his personal
self.
HC
restrained the film's producers from using the name, image and caricature and
imitation of the style of Rajinikanth. "Rajinikanth is a well acclaimed
actor with high reputation and he is a doyen of the film industry in India. If
any person uses the name of that celebrity without his permission, he is
entitled for injunction since he could be easily identified by the use of his
name by the others," Justice R Subbhiah had observed.
The film,
also featuring Kavita Radheshyam, was eventually titled Main Hoon
Part-Time Killer after a lengthy court battle. The film was
released across North India, but not in the south to avoid further legal
disputes.
Rajinikanth
was reportedly the first Indian star to establish his personality rights,
disallowing people from imitating his screen persona for personal commercial
gain.
Director
Lokesh Kanagaraj has enjoyed a 100% success rate so far, winning both critical
acclaim and box office glory with films like Karthi’s Kaithi (2019) and Vikram
(2022). Even his previous film “Leo,” despite facing heavy criticism for its
dull second half and messy content, turned out to be a massive commercial hit. With such a track record,
expectations skyrocketed when Lokesh teamed up with the biggest superstar of
them all: Rajinikanth. “Coolie” generated unprecedented hype in Tamil and made
a similar impact in Telugu, with its opening day collections proving the craze
was real.
According to
the production house, the film grossed Rs151 crore worldwide on Day 1, truly
taking the box office by storm.
However,
reactions and reviews — especially from Tamil audiences — have been brutal.
Compared
to Telugu
critics and viewers, the Tamil online crowd has been far harsher. The
dominant sentiment on social media is that Lokesh Kanagaraj delivered a
cringe-worthy script filled with plot holes “as big as a football stadium.”
Some have even added “Coolie” to their list of the “worst films in recent Tamil
cinema,” alongside GOAT, Thug Life, Kanuga, Indian 2, and Good Bad Ugly.
Before the
film’s release, its trailer sparked wild fan theories, from parallel universes
and Looper-style sci-fi to reincarnation themes. Lokesh acknowledged reading
these theories and promised audiences would be “surprised” by his story. They
were indeed surprised but by an outdated revenge drama packed with cringe
scenes. As a result, Tamil fans, including many Rajinikanth loyalists and
admirers of Lokesh’s earlier work, are trolling him relentlessly.
Even
Nagarjuna Akkineni, who played the antagonist, is facing backlash from his own
fans, while Aamir Khan is being widely mocked for his cameo, with many saying
his trademark perfectionism “went down the drain” here.
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