Coolie

Coolie poster for sale! Buy rare original old Bollywood movie poster of the blockbuster Hindi film Coolie (1983).

This is an actual surviving Coolie movie poster of the 1983 film that featured the biggest superstar of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role.

Directed by Manmohan Desai, the film also starred Rishi Kapoor, Rati Agnihotri, Kader Khan, Waheeda Rehman, Puneet Issar, Suresh Oberoi, Mukri, Tun Tun, Goga Kapoor, Amrish Puri and the animal star, “Ballu Eagle” in supporting roles.

Printed and circulated during the screening of the film in theaters (somewhere in the mid 1980s), this old Amitabh Bachchan poster was originally designed for publicity of the film but never ended up being used.

Coolie is a part of cinema history for an action scene that critically injured superstar Amitabh Bachchan on 26 July 1982 in Bangalore. A mistimed jump in a fight sequence with co-star Puneet Issar left Amitabh battling for his life with serious injuries to his intestines. Clinically dead for a few minutes, Amitabh reportedly received 60 bottles of blood from 200 donors, with Indians all over the world praying for his recovery.

Despite the critical injury, the undisputed “Shahenshah of Bollywood” recovered and resumed shooting on 7th January 1983. In 1984, a year after the film’s release, it was estimated that Coolie had sold 70 million tickets. The mass hysteria generated post the accident helped make Coolie one of the highest grossing films ever made in Indian cinema, making this Coolie poster highly collectible!

Amitabh Bachchan is seen in a large photographic still dressed as a porter on the top of this Coolie movie poster. He is seen holding a locket in one hand, while the eagle “Allah Rakha” is perched on his other hand. Rishi Kapoor is seen wearing a tuxedo in a smaller still at the bottom. Actor Kader Khan is seen pointing a gun at the bottom of this Coolie poster. Amitabh is seen again in a smaller black and white still at the center of the poster carrying luggage on his head. The title of this Coolie poster has a badge logo in the shape of the letter “O” that reads, “Western Railway No. Licensed Porter.”

The climax of Coolie was changed after Amitabh’s accident. Amitabh was supposed to die as part of the original plot of the film but director Manmohan Desai felt that this would not go down well with audiences (given that Amitabh had just overcome death in real life). As such, he decided to change the ending, showing Amitabh making a full recovery after surgery in the film.

The script of Coolie was written by Kader Khan and the film was edited by none other than Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Music was composed by the leading duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Songs from the film such as “Sari Duniya Ka Bojh Hum Uthate Hai,” “Lambuji Tinguji”  and “Accident Ho Gaya” are fondly remembered and played till today.