Superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming film ‘Coolie’, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is currently at the center of a significant online storm. The recently unveiled promotional posters for the much-anticipated action drama have triggered widespread accusations of plagiarism, with numerous social media users drawing striking visual parallels to campaigns of Hollywood blockbusters like ‘Madame Web’, ‘Glass’, and ‘Rebel Moon’, and even a fan-made design for the Tamil film ‘Beast’.
The backlash gained momentum after an X (formerly Twitter) user shared a detailed collage showcasing the alleged similarities. One comparison highlights Rajinikanth looking out through cloth folds, eerily reminiscent of a visual from Vijay’s 2022 Tamil film ‘Beast’. Another instance points to a ‘broken-glass’ concept in a ‘Coolie’ poster that appears to mirror the aesthetic of the Hollywood film ‘Glass’, starring James McAvoy. Furthermore, a poster featuring prominent red fabric in ‘Coolie’ has been likened to the styling seen in ‘Rebel Moon’s promotional material.
The X user’s post explicitly stated, “So basically, 3 out of the 4 posters recently released by the Coolie team are copied from somewhere else. Can’t even believe someone like GP copied even from a fan-made poster of Beast. GP is receiving a hefty sum from makers for poster designing, and this is what he is doing.”
The accusations have led to strong reactions online, with users lamenting the lack of originality. Comments like, “Nothing is original – we don’t take inspiration – we copied,” and “Had this been a Bollywood film, self-proclaimed critics would’ve torn it apart for blatantly copying these posters,” reflect the frustration among a section of film enthusiasts.
This poster controversy is not the first hurdle for ‘Coolie’. The film previously faced a copyright dispute when legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja sent a legal notice to the makers for using his iconic track ‘Disco Disco’ from the film ‘Thanga Magan’ (1983) without obtaining proper permission. Ilaiyaraaja’s notice demanded that the team either seek appropriate approval or remove the tune from the film.
Despite these controversies, ‘Coolie’ continues to be one of the most talked-about releases of the year. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film stars Rajinikanth as Deva and boasts a powerful ensemble cast including Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Soubin Shahir. Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is also set to make a special cameo appearance. Backed by Sun Pictures, the film’s marketing campaign has certainly grabbed eyeballs, albeit largely due to the plagiarism allegations surrounding its striking visuals rather than its plot. The production house and director are yet to issue any official statement regarding the accusations.
