Lokesh Kanagaraj says Coolie lost ₹40–50 crore due to A certificate.
CBFC asked for 35 cuts to grant UA rating.
Director chose creative integrity over box office reach.
Lokesh Kanagaraj Reveals Coolie’s A Certificate Cost ₹50 Crore After CBFC Cut Demands
Lokesh Kanagaraj has revealed that Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie suffered a ₹40–50 crore loss after receiving an A certificate.
Summary
Filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj has opened up about the censorship challenges faced by his Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie, revealing that the film’s A certificate resulted in a substantial financial loss. Speaking at a recent press interaction, Lokesh said the Central Board of Film Certification’s demands left him with a difficult choice, one that eventually cost the film nearly ₹50 crore.
Lokesh Kanagaraj on Coolie’s CBFC certification struggle
According to Lokesh Kanagaraj, the CBFC initially suggested as many as 35 cuts in order to grant Coolie a UA certificate. While the director was open to muting a few words, he was unwilling to remove entire sequences that formed the backbone of the film’s narrative and tone.
“As a filmmaker, I was okay with the nine muted words they asked for, but not the 35 cuts,” Lokesh said, as quoted by The Times of India. “The choice was between releasing a complete film with an A certificate or an incomplete one with a UA certification.”
He added that the team even applied for re-censoring, hoping for a revised outcome, but the board stood by its original recommendation. The CBFC reportedly felt that the film’s themes were unsuitable for younger audiences.
Coolie’s A certificate impact on box office
Lokesh acknowledged that the A rating significantly limited the film’s reach. “The A certificate definitely affected collections,” he said, estimating a loss of around ₹40 to ₹50 crore. Despite this, the director maintained that preserving the film’s integrity mattered more than chasing numbers.
Lokesh Kanagaraj on censorship debates and future projects
Lokesh’s comments come at a time when Tamil cinema is once again discussing censorship norms, following the certification delay around Vijay’s Jana Nayagan. While Lokesh chose not to comment on the ongoing controversy, he confirmed his association with the project in a limited capacity.
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“H Vinoth anna and Vijay anna called me. I’ve done a cameo in the film, that’s all I can say,” he stated.
Known for films like Master and Leo, Lokesh Kanagaraj’s remarks have reignited conversations around creative freedom and certification challenges in Indian cinema.
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