COOLIE – READER RESPONSE THEORY

Last night, I watched "Coolie" with my senior Anna. The expectations for this film were sky-high, even though it had been clearly stated beforehand that it was a standalone project and not part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. In the weeks leading up to its release, fan-made theories filled social media, speculating on how Rajinikanth’s role might connect to Lokesh’s larger world-building. This built a massive sense of anticipation. However, even before stepping into the theatre, I was already influenced by negative reviews from my brother and online discussions. Unfortunately, my own viewing experience aligned with those opinions. The film didn’t feel like a true Lokesh Kanagaraj product. The screenplay dragged in several places, and despite Rajini’s commanding presence, the movie failed to deliver the thrill and intensity I had hoped for.

This entire journey, from the excitement before the screening, to the letdown afterward, and the influence of fan theories can be linked to "Reader-Response Theory". This literary theory highlights the reader’s (or viewer’s) role in shaping meaning, moving away from the notion that a text holds only one fixed interpretation from the author. Emerging in the late 1960s and 70s, it was shaped by scholars like Louise Rosenblatt, Wolfgang Iser, and Stanley Fish. Rosenblatt’s “transactional theory” emphasized how readers bring personal emotions, memories, and imagination into their reading; Iser introduced the idea of the “implied reader”; while Fish spoke about “interpretive communities,” where groups with shared cultural backgrounds interpret works in similar ways. Over time, this approach has been applied not only to literature but also to films.

When applied to "Coolie", the theory helps explain why reactions differ so widely. For die-hard Rajnikanth fans, the movie might still feel like a tribute to his charisma, with nostalgic callbacks to his past films. Lokesh’s fans, on the other hand, may walk out disappointed because the film lacks the depth and layered storytelling they associate with him. For casual viewers with no exposure to fan theories or expectations, the movie might simply come across as another action-packed star vehicle. In my case, the hype from social media, the abundance of theories, and Lokesh’s previous track record set a high “horizon of expectations” that the movie failed to meet. Reader-Response Theory shows that this disappointment doesn’t stem from the film alone but it is also the product of my prior assumptions, cultural context, and interpretive lens. In this way, "Coolie" becomes a unique experience for every viewer, its meaning not confined to the screen but actively created in the minds of the audience.