Did Rajinikanth Say ‘Aamir Khan Stands Tall Among Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan’? Find Out What Happened at ‘Coolie Unleashed’ Event! (Watch Video)

Easily one of the biggest films of 2025, Coolie marks the first-ever collaboration between superstar Rajinikanth and director Lokesh Kanagaraj. Slated for release on August 14, the film has already generated massive hype. Adding to the buzz, Sun Pictures recently hosted a star-studded event titled Coolie Unleashed, serving as the grand audio launch. ‘Coolie’ Box Office: Explained! Why Tickets Prices for Rajinikanth-Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Movie Range From Just INR 57 in Chennai to a Whopping INR 2000 in Bengaluru.

The event was attended by the film’s cast and crew, with official footage later shared on YouTube by Sun Pictures. Among the most talked-about moments was Rajinikanth’s spirited speech, filled with self-deprecating humour and heartfelt praise for his collaborators.

Behind the Scenes: How 'Coolie' Came Together

Rajinikanth recounted how the film’s ensemble came to be, featuring Sathyaraj, Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Aamir Khan, making his Tamil cinema debut. Aamir even appeared at the event in full costume as his character from the film.

While praising Aamir, Rajinikanth made a statement that quickly went viral, comparing the Bollywood superstar to Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.

Rajinikanth’s Aamir Khan Praise Goes Viral

Here’s what Rajinikanth said when recalling how Lokesh brought Aamir Khan on board, "Lokesh returned after a month of script work and said there’s a cameo role. I thought he meant Ulaganayagan [Kamal Haasan], since he’s a Kamal fan and worked with him in Vikram. But to my surprise, he said ‘Aamir Khan.’ I went silent. I asked, ‘Did he really agree?’ Lokesh said, ‘Yes sir, he said yes.’ You know it takes Aamir Khan two years just to approve a script! So imagine how long it would take to make a film with him."

Rajinikanth added, "Such a perfectionist! Like Kamal Haasan here in the South, in the North it’s Aamir Khan. There’s Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan on either side, and he stands tall among them all. Aamir Khan - what a legend!"

Rajinikanth's Speech From 'Coolie Unleashed' Event - Watch Video Here:

Although his words could be interpreted as a slight towards the other two Khans, the remark was clearly made in the heat of excitement. Rajinikanth last worked with Aamir 30 years ago in Aatank Hi Aatank, an unofficial Godfather remake considered one of the low points in both their careers. ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’: Before ‘Campeones’ Remake, Aamir Khan Movies That Were Remade From Other Languages and How They Fared at Box Office.

While Rajinikanth has never shared the screen with Salman Khan in a movie, he made a cameo in Shah Rukh Khan’s Ra.One, reprising his iconic Enthiran role of Chitti.

Other Controversial Jokes from Rajinikanth's Speech

Rajinikanth also joked about initially hesitating to cast Malayalam actor Soubin Shahir because he was "bald and all," and about Shruti Haasan being chosen despite mostly doing glamour roles. Ironically, Fahadh Faasil - also balding - was the first choice for Soubin’s role, and Shruti had already done a non-glam role in 3, directed by Rajinikanth’s daughter Aishwarya Rajinikanth, back in 2012.

Despite these offhand comments, Rajinikanth came up with glowing praise for Soubin and Shruti in his speech ahead. He especially lauded Shruti Haasan, saying she could proudly call herself the daughter of “Ulaganayagan” Kamal Haasan, after seeing her performance in the film.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2025 01:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).