As two of India’s most eagerly awaited action blockbusters—Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie and Ayan Mukerji’s War 2—gear up for their theatrical release, an early peek into USA premiere advance sales reveals a fascinating, perhaps surprising, trend. Conventional wisdom suggested that War 2, being a Hindi-language big-ticket action spectacle and the latest in Spy Universe, would have a dominant edge in the North American market among Hindi-speaking diaspora. But as numbers now indicate, the audience pulse in the USA is telling a completely different story.In fact, Coolie is far ahead of War 2 by a staggering margin in terms of advance bookings, and what’s more telling is this: it’s not War 2’s Hindi version, but its Telugu version that’s pulling the weight an effect largely thanks Jr. NTR’s presence. For Coolie, while both the Telugu and Tamil versions are performing strongly, the core momentum is very clearly coming from its Tamil base, with the fan frenzy for Superstar Rajinikanth pushing advance sales to unprecedented levels.The Numbers: A Stark ContrastWar 2 USA Premiere Advance Sales (7 Days Before Premiere)Total Gross: $246,600Shows: 1776Tickets Sold: 9312Hindi Version: $59,600 (approx)Telugu Version: $186,989 (approx)Coolie USA Premiere Advance Sales (7 Days Before Premiere)Total Gross: $1,157,338Shows: 1276Tickets Sold: 44,508Tamil Version: $895,454Telugu Version: $261,934Coolie Dominates in Every MetricWhat’s astonishing is that Coolie’s Tamil version alone has grossed over $895K, nearly 4x the entire USA premiere total of War 2. Add to that its Telugu version, and Coolie has already crossed $1.15 million, with a full week still left. It’s expected to easily breach the $1.5M premiere milestone, maybe even touch $2M if momentum continues.Moreover, Coolie is doing this with fewer locations and fewer shows than War 2. The disparity in ticket sales—44,508 for Coolie vs just 9312 for War 2—is jaw-dropping. It signals not just more demand, but deeper audience engagement, fandom, and possibly repeat viewings already planned by die-hards.The Surprise Underperformance of War 2’s Hindi VersionHere lies the shocker. Despite War 2 being marketed as the next big Hindi-language event film of the year, its Hindi version has so far brought in just around $59,600 in the USA.Given the film stars Hrithik Roshan reprising his role as Kabir and has the YRF brand backing it, these numbers are surprisingly underwhelming. The Hindi audience expected to be the backbone of the film’s overseas performance is simply not turning out in anticipated numbers, at least not yet.This challenges a long-held notion in trade circles: that Hindi-language films with big stars are automatic winners overseas, especially in North America where the Hindi-speaking diaspora is traditionally strong. But these numbers suggest either the marketing hasn’t clicked, or that audiences are now seeking more culturally specific or regional representation in big-screen cinema.Jr. NTR’s Pan-India Pull on Full DisplayIn contrast to the lukewarm Hindi reception, War 2’s Telugu version is leading the charge with $186,989 in advance bookings, forming the bulk of the film’s USA total.This is a clear testament to Jr. NTR’s superstar aura in the Telugu states and his growing popularity post-RRR and Devara . Even in a film where he is technically not the central figure (Hrithik still leads the franchise), Jr. NTR’s star value and mass following are giving War 2 its legs overseas. The Telugu audience, including second-generation fans in the U.S., is showing up with enthusiasm.This also proves that RRR has significantly altered the star hierarchy globally, and Jr. NTR is now seen as a legitimate draw in both South Indian and overseas markets.Coolie’s Cultural Connection and Fan FrenzyMeanwhile, Coolie has the perfect storm of elements working in its favor:Rajinikanth’s cult fan base, especially among the Tamil diaspora in North America.Lokesh Kanagaraj’s brand of stylized action and world-building.Presence of names like Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, Sathyaraj, Shoubin Shahir , Upendra and Shruti HaasanAnirudh’s chartbusting musicFor now, the battle has been won by regional fervor over national hype, and the winner is Coolie—hands down.
