Lokesh Kanagaraj's new movie Coolie stars the one and only Rajinikanth in the lead role - the Tamil superstar's first film with the director. Not part of his LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe) - as Kanagaraj has been insisting from the start - this standalone action drama also features big names like Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Aamir Khan in his Tamil debut. Pooja Hegde makes a special appearance in the "Monica" song. ‘Coolie’ Movie Review: Anirudh, Not Rajinikanth, Is Real Lifeline in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Weakest Film to Date!

But does the movie have more cameos than it publicly advertised? Before release, there were reports that Sivakarthikeyan might appear, but that turned out to be false. What about Shah Rukh Khan, though?

The 'Jawan' Connection Claim?

While Coolie may not have an LCU link, could it have crossed over with a Hindi blockbuster - namely Jawan? Is Shah Rukh Khan's Vikram Rathore from Atlee’s hit film making a cameo here?

That’s what a viral post claimed, sharing a leaked video of Aamir Khan’s cameo scene from the film’s final act - before abruptly cutting to SRK’s old-man character in Jawan. The supposed reference: Vikram Rathore is Dahaa's father.

The Truth Behind the Viral Video

It’s clear, however, that the clip is an edited mash-up of two separate scenes — one from Coolie and one from Jawan. The handle that posted it appears to be run by an SRK fan, likely aiming to portray Vikram Rathore as an icon, even in Coolie. In reality, Shah Rukh Khan does not appear in the film.

Even Grok, X's AI-powered chatbot, claims in one of the responses to the above post that even though Shah Rukh Khan doesn't have a cameo in the film, his Vikram Rathore is mentioned in the film. This isn't true. ‘Jawan’ Filmmaker Atlee Expresses Joy As Shah Rukh Khan Wins National Award, Thanks Star for Trusting and Giving Him Opportunity To Direct Film.

(Spoilers ahead) — In Coolie, Aamir Khan’s character’s father is indeed shown in the same scene, but he is played by Mahesh Manjrekar. His character is wheelchair-bound and visibly terrified of Rajinikanth’s Deva.

The only other surprise cameo is actress Shobana as Deva’s late wife, though her presence is limited to a photograph.

Another interesting tidbit: According to some reports, Shah Rukh Khan was the first choice for the role of Dahaa before Aamir Khan was signed. The two actors previously worked together in the 1995 Hindi gangster drama Aatank Hi Aatank.

Fact check

‘Coolie’: Does Shah Rukh Khan’s Vikram Rathore From ‘Jawan’ Play Aamir Khan’s Father in Rajinikanth’s Film? Fact-Checking Viral Video Clip Claiming So!
Claim :

Shah Rukh Khan Plays Aamir Khan's Father in Coolie, Reprising His Jawan Character

Conclusion :

There is No Shah Rukh Khan Cameo in Coolie Nor There is any Jawan Reference

Full of Trash
Clean

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2025 10:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).