- By Swati Singh
- Thu, 28 Aug 2025 08:48 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Rajinikanth's recently released movie Coolie has been dominating headlines once again. Sun Pictures, the production house behind Rajinikanth's film Coolie, recently approached the Madras High Court challenging the 'A' certificate granted by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The CBFC had certified the film with an 'A' rating due to its violent sequences, effectively restricting viewers under 18 from watching it. The Madras HC has now rejected the production house's appeal, ruling that the film is not suitable for minors.
The petition by Sun Pictures, justifying a U/A certificate under Section 5 of the Copyright Act of 1957, was rejected by justice T V Thamilsevi. The judge mentioned, "The civil miscellaneous petition (filed by Sun TV Network) is dismissed for want of merit."
Senior counsel J Ravindran argued on behalf of the petitioner, stating that the film's scenes featuring alcohol consumption and explicit language had already been removed. Despite these edits, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) still issued an "A" certificate. The CBFC, represented by Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan, maintained that the film's excessive violence justified the "A" rating, a decision unanimously agreed upon by the examining and revising committees. The board argued that if the production house had sought a U/A certification, the problematic scenes should have been removed prior to submission.
About the movie: Coolie is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, starring Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni and an ensemble cast. The film follows a former coolie union leader who investigates his friend's death, leading him to a crime syndicate.
The film was produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures and was officially announced in September 2023. Principal photography took place from July 2023 to March 2025 in various locations, including Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangkok. The film features music by Anirudh Ravichander and was released worldwide on August 14, 2025.
Coolie received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise for its performances, soundtrack, and score, but criticism for its story and screenplay. Despite this, the film emerged as a commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2025 and the fourth highest-grossing Tamil film of all time.