Director Lokesh Kanagaraj confirmed he was paid ₹50 crore for Coolie, starring Rajinikanth and Nagarjuna, set to release on August 14. He shared that Nagarjuna was the toughest to convince for the villain role, requiring several meetings. Lokesh credited the massive success of his previous film Leo, which grossed over ₹600 crore, for doubling his pay, adding, “A director’s salary always depends on the previous film’s result.”
