Coolie, the latest action drama directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring Rajinikanth, opened on August 14, 2025. The film revolves around Deva (Rajinikanth), who is out to avenge his friend Rajasekhar’s murder, embroiling him in the web of crime run by Simon’s syndicate. Other talking points of the film include Aamir Khan’s cameo as Dahaa and a possible connection to the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU).
Who is Aamir Khan’s Dahaa?
Aamir Khan’s cameo as Dahaa is brief yet explosive, and it makes him present in the end of the film. Dahaa leads conglomerate of criminals on a global level whose operations involve gold smuggling and organ trafficking along with others under Simon’s (Nagarjuna) umbrella affiliate.
The brief but intense appearance coughed up an unfortunate link to Deva’s past wherein he was the union leader of coolies. He rightfully points out to Deva that thirty years back, Deva murdered Simon’s father, Xavier, to free imprisoned coolies, an episode he recognises as “legendary” to Deva. Instead, Dahaa offers Deva a position in his organization, hinting at a possible partnership in a teased Coolie Part 2.
The Climax and Deva’s Emotional Revelation
The climax had audience is a hook with its deep emotions. Deva picks up the trail of Simon’s syndicate to discover Rajasekhar’s killer: Dayalan (Soubin Shahir), a police informer with corruption running through his vein. Deva finally comes to know that Preethi (Shruti Hassan) is his biological daughter, a secret Rajasekhar kept after Deva abandoned his family to protect his coolies.
In a tremendous fight, Simon is killed, the syndicate rackets are smashed, and Preethi is saved by Deva. Deva just watches Preethi go away, accompanied by his sisters, while carrying the quiet pain of self-sacrifice without revealing their paternity to her. It adds another subtext to his heroism and tragedy.
Is Coolie a part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe?
Coolie is not part of the LCU that includes Kaidhi, Vikram, and even Leo, as made clear by Lokesh Kanagaraj himself in response to fan theories instigated by a viral clip that broke out, claiming the film is not a part of LCU but is in itself a standalone film.
It does not have a post-credits scene that relates to any characters such as Rolex (Suriya) or any other LCU components. So, it is very clear now that this film stands alone and has no connection to LCU.
