At the Visakhapatnam harbour, a well-organised smuggling network moves gold and luxury watches under the command of Simon, a ruthless kingpin, with Dayalan -- called Dayal -- as his principal lieutenant. During one of their operations an undercover police officer, posing as a coolie to infiltrate the ring, is discovered and executed by Dayal; Dayal shoots the man dead on the dock and the body is disposed of without ceremony. Simon posts a bounty of ₹2 crore, offering the reward to anyone who exposes another undercover operative in their midst. Simon's son Arjun, however, refuses to inherit the criminal business; he has left the family trade and serves as a customs officer, determined to be on the other side of the law.

In Chennai, Devaraj -- known as Deva -- runs a strict boarding house and lives a regimented life. News arrives that his friend Rajasekhar has died. Deva attends the funeral only to be brusquely turned away by Rajasekhar's daughter, Preethi, who is protecting her family's privacy. At a late-night drinking session, Deva's friend Ravi, drunk and remorseful, confesses that he and Rajasekhar once made decisions that ruined their lives. The confession prompts Deva to investigate Rajasekhar's death despite an official autopsy listing it as a heart attack. Deva examines the body and finds clear evidence of blunt chest trauma inconsistent with a natural cardiac event.

Deva traces Rajasekhar's recent years: once a struggling inventor, Rajasekhar had developed an electric cremation chair intended for disposing of animal remains. After his patent application was rejected, powerful men coerced him into adapting the device to execute humans and conceal murders. Simon's organisation buys Rajasekhar's technical expertise and forces him to retrofit the chair for killing people and cremating their bodies to eliminate evidence. Dayal attempts to abduct Preethi because she understands the chair's operation; Deva intervenes during the abduction. Faced with blackmail, economic pressure and threats to her sisters, Preethi is drawn into the operation. Deva, forced by circumstances, assists and at one point operates the electric chair alongside her to cremate a corpse, while pleading with Preethi to quit her job so she will no longer be exploitable. Preethi refuses, arguing she has to support her younger sisters.

Simon later summons Deva, claiming that Dayal is dead and asking Deva to bury the body, alleging Dayal was in fact an undercover policeman. Deva and his associates dig and prepare a burial, but they unearth Dayal alive; Dayal reveals himself and taunts them. He produces a recorded video that shows him killing Rajasekhar during the forced adaptation of the chair; in the footage Dayal electrocutes Rajasekhar with the modified device and ends the man's life to guarantee silence. Later, Dayal contacts Deva from Nellore to demand Deva's obedience and to announce that he holds Preethi hostage at a remote hideout. Under duress and following Dayal's instructions, Deva breaks into a harbour vault tied to Simon's operation and discovers the extent of the network: a heart-trafficking ring that preys on vulnerable coolies, removing organs for sale to rich clients. Among Dayal's orders is a directive to eliminate Arjun. Deva, however, defies the command; he allows Arjun to flee the harbour in a small boat with his lover after urging them to run away to safety.

Dayal reacts to this insubordination by forcing Preethi to a rooftop and threatening her life. Deva goes to the rooftop confrontation and unsettles Dayal by calling him by his real name, Dilip, and by exposing his past: Deva declares that Dilip worked as a constable in the Kerala Police in Thrissur before turning to the dark side. Deva's revelation undermines Dayal's bravado and plants doubt in the lieutenant's mind. Seeking leverage, Deva captures Dayal's wife, Kalyani, after discovering that she has been posing as Arjun's lover to gain access to him. Deva uses Kalyani as a bargaining chip, demanding Preethi's release in exchange for her safety.

Kalyani, however, frees herself from Deva's custody and reacts violently. In the struggle she shoots and kills Ravi, who had been Deva's drunken informant and present during earlier investigations; she fires the fatal shots in the room where Deva had held her, ending Ravi's life to prevent him from testifying. After killing Ravi, Kalyani reveals that she and Dayal have been running a dangerous double game -- they have been primary operatives working together within Simon's network and acting as an internal enforcement team. Kalyani orders Dayal to pursue Preethi. Preethi flees, boarding an intercity train to escape, but while trying to call for help she accidentally dials Deva using a coded phrase Rajasekhar had taught her; the call confirms to Deva that Preethi is someone he must protect.

Deva's subordinate sacrifices himself to shield Preethi from Dayal during the pursuit; an aide takes the brunt of Dayal's attack and dies defending her, sustaining fatal wounds as he falls between Dayal and Preethi. Dayal survives the clash, wounded but still determined. Kalyani instructs Dayal to go to the car she has left parked nearby. When Dayal reaches the vehicle he finds Arjun hiding there. Dayal phones Simon to report that he is still alive and then executes Arjun before Simon over the line, shooting Simon's son dead in front of his father's command. Simon, enraged by Arjun's apparent betrayal and the messy interplay of loyalties, travels to Chennai and dispatches a squad of men to Deva's boarding house with orders to kill Deva and Preethi's sisters.

Deva anticipates the strike. He and his lieutenant Kaleesha marshal an unlikely defence: eighteen coolies, men Deva had organised and led in the past, gather at his mansion to fight. When Simon's hired killers arrive, Deva, Kaleesha and the coolies confront them. Deva personally kills several of Simon's men in close-quarters combat; he fires on attackers and uses improvised weapons to stop an assault aimed at the women in the boarding house. Their coordinated defence repels the initial attack and protects Preethi's sisters from being murdered.

Meanwhile, Kalyani captures Preethi and holds her, but Simon's crew intercepts and abducts Kalyani in the process. Simon executes Kalyani in front of Dayal: he shoots her dead to display his authority and to punish perceived treachery. After killing Kalyani, Simon seizes Preethi. He intends to harvest her heart for his trafficking clients and moves quickly to transport her to a ship that serves as a mobile killing floor and processing site.

Deva storms the ship in pursuit. As he fights his way through Simon's men in the cramped corridors and cargo bays, Deva reveals a crucial element of his past to Simon and to the assembled syndicate agents: thirty years earlier, Deva had been a coolie union leader in a northern Indian town called Mandwa. Back then, Simon's father Xavier and his associate Kakkar had been the local overlords, exploiting day labourers and running an illicit smuggling operation. When Simon's father and Kakkar sought to cover a drug-smuggling loss by arranging the murder of a hundred coolies, Deva and Kaleesha organised a revolt to defend the labourers. In the violent confrontation that followed, Deva and Kaleesha led a counterattack that killed Xavier, though the victory came with horrific cost: seventy coolies died in the pitched battle. The young Simon witnessed his father's killing only from a distance, restrained by his mother, and the memory becomes the origin of his later cruelty.

Standing on the ship amid burning crates and shattered glass, Deva confronts Simon. He tells Simon that Preethi is Simon's daughter -- a revelation meant to unnerve the crime lord. The two men duel: they trade strikes and gunshots in a brutal personal fight on the deck while the coolies, who have followed Deva, swarm the vessel. In the melee Deva kills Simon; he guns him down after a hand-to-hand exchange that leaves Simon unable to continue. With Simon dead, the coolies set about destroying the ship's infrastructure. They sabotage the engines and smash crates of contraband; the vessel begins to founder as the crew and syndicate henchmen are overrun. Deva watches as the ship is wrecked and burns, the operations Simon ran collapsing into wreckage.

After the ship is destroyed, the global syndicate that once bought the harvested organs moves to reassert control. Dahaa, a shadowy international boss who is later revealed to be the son of Kakkar, kidnaps Deva, Kaleesha, Preethi and her sisters and transports them into a desert location to detain them. Dahaa brings them to a compound in the desert and interrogates Deva, testing his skills and resolve. Impressed by Deva's leadership and the loyalty of the coolies, Dahaa makes Deva an offer: join the syndicate as his right-hand man. Deva considers the offer and agrees on a single condition -- that his coolies be spared and allowed to leave. Dahaa accepts the bargain, at least outwardly, seeing advantage in recruiting a man of Deva's reputation to stabilise his operations.

Dayal's fate is finalized after this power reshuffle. Simon's old enforcers capture Dayal and, seeing him as a liability and traitor, they bury him alive. They entomb him in a hastily dug pit in the desert and consign him to suffocation beneath the sand; Dayal is buried alive as punishment and to prevent any further betrayal. His death is brutal and final.

In the closing sequences, Preethi and her sisters prepare to leave the country for safer pastures abroad. They accept that Deva protected them and permitted their escape; they forgive him for the pain and secrecy they suspect he has caused, but they do not know the full truth of blood ties. At the farewell, they call Deva "uncle" and express gratitude to the man who has shielded them, unaware that he is, in fact, Preethi's biological father. Deva watches them go, standing with Kaleesha among the coolies who survived, as the women board a plane and disappear into the sky. The final image closes on Deva -- a leader who has slain Simon, endured the death of trusted aides, watched the coolies he once led survive another storm, and accepted a place at Dahaa's side under the condition that his people remain free. The story ends with Preethi and her sisters departing the country, forgiving Deva and calling him "uncle," while Deva remains behind with Kaleesha and the coolies, bound into a new uneasy arrangement with the global syndicate.

The movie Coolie (2025) ends with Deva confronting Simon's son, Simon, on a ship, revealing his past as a coolie union leader who fought against exploitation. Deva kills Simon in a duel, and the coolies destroy the ship. Later, Deva, Kaleesha, Preethi, and her sisters are kidnapped by a global syndicate leader named Dahaa, who is Kakkar's son. Dahaa offers Deva a position as his right-hand man, which Deva accepts on the condition that his coolies are spared. Preethi and her sisters leave abroad, forgiving Deva without knowing he is her father, calling him "uncle" in farewell.

Expanded narrative of the ending scene by scene:

The climax begins aboard a ship where Deva storms in, confronting Simon, the son of Xavier, who was a powerful figure exploiting coolies 30 years ago. Deva reveals his history as a coolie union leader in Mandwa, where he and his ally Kaleesha fought against Xavier and his partner Kakkar's brutal exploitation. During that past conflict, Xavier attempted to kill 100 coolies to cover up drug smuggling, but Deva and Kaleesha led a revolt that resulted in Xavier's death, though 70 coolies died in the process. Simon, as a young boy, witnessed his father's death indirectly, a traumatic event that shaped him.

In the present, Deva tells Simon that Preethi is his daughter, a revelation that adds emotional weight to their confrontation. The two engage in a duel, which ends with Deva killing Simon. Following this, the coolies destroy the ship, symbolizing the end of Simon's smuggling empire and the old oppressive order.

Subsequently, Deva, Kaleesha, Preethi, and her sisters are kidnapped and taken to a desert by Dahaa, the global syndicate leader and son of Kakkar, the old partner of Xavier. Dahaa is impressed by Deva's resolve and offers him a position as his right-hand man. Deva agrees but insists that his coolies be spared, showing his continued commitment to protecting the workers.

Meanwhile, Dayal, Simon's loyal aide, is captured and buried alive, marking his grim fate at the story's end.

Finally, Preethi and her sisters depart abroad. They forgive Deva for past actions without knowing he is their father, addressing him as "uncle" in their farewell. This bittersweet moment closes the story, highlighting themes of sacrifice, hidden identities, and unresolved family ties.

In summary, the main characters' fates at the end are:

• Deva: Emerges victorious over Simon, accepts a complex alliance with Dahaa to protect his people.
• Simon: Killed by Deva in a duel aboard the ship.
• Preethi and her sisters: Leave abroad, forgiving Deva without knowing he is their father.
• Dayal: Captured and buried alive.
• Dahaa: Takes Deva under his wing as his right-hand man, continuing the syndicate's influence but with Deva's conditions.

This detailed ending ties together the past and present conflicts, revealing deep personal connections and the ongoing struggle between exploitation and resistance among the coolies.

The movie Coolie (2025) does not have a post-credit scene. It ends on an emotional note with the protagonist Deva deciding not to reveal to Preethi that he is her biological father, allowing her to live without the burden of that knowledge. The credits roll immediately after this conclusion, with no additional scenes or Easter eggs following.

Although some viewers hoped for a post-credit scene due to director Lokesh Kanagaraj's style of layered storytelling, the filmmakers have confirmed that Coolie is a standalone film and not part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. Therefore, there is no setup for a sequel or continuation after the credits.

Some online discussions and videos have speculated about a post-credit scene, but the official and most credible sources confirm that none exists in the theatrical release.

Deva's past as a coolie union leader in Mandwa is central to the plot, revealing his long-standing fight against exploitation by Simon's father Xavier and Kakkar. This history explains his deep personal vendetta, including a revolt that led to the death of 70 coolies and the killing of Xavier. It also connects to the present conflict with the crime syndicate and the traumatic event of Simon witnessing his father's death, which shapes the motivations of key characters.

Preethi is revealed to be Deva's daughter, though she remains unaware of this fact and calls him 'uncle.' Their relationship is complicated by the kidnapping and threats from the syndicate. Despite this, Preethi and her sisters forgive Deva at their departure abroad, highlighting a poignant emotional undercurrent where familial bonds are strained but not broken.

Dahaa, played by Aamir Khan, is the global syndicate leader and son of Kakkar, the antagonist from Deva's past. He kidnaps Deva, Kaleesha, Preethi, and her sisters, and later offers Deva a position as his right-hand man, which Deva accepts under the condition that his coolies are spared. Dahaa's character bridges the past and present conflicts and adds complexity to the power dynamics within the syndicate.

Rajasekar invents a machine that instantly burns animal remains, which is initially rejected by authorities but later exploited by the smuggling syndicate. His invention becomes a key plot device, as it ties into his murder and the syndicate's illegal activities, motivating Deva's investigation and quest for justice.

Dayal is initially presented as Simon's aide but is later revealed to be a police constable who orchestrated Rajasekar's murder. He kidnaps Preethi and manipulates Deva into working under him. Dayal's duplicity and control over the syndicate's operations create significant obstacles for Deva and add layers of intrigue and betrayal to the narrative.

The 2025 film Coolie is not family friendly and has been certified 'A' (Adults Only) by the Central Board of Film Certification, meaning it is intended strictly for adult audiences.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive viewers include:

• Severe violence and gore, with sustained scenes involving bloody stabbings, shootings, beatings with blunt instruments, strangulation, and graphic physical brutality such as a man's head being smashed against a train track.
• Moderate profanity and some references to alcohol, drugs, and smoking.
• The film contains moderate frightening and intense scenes that may be disturbing to sensitive viewers.
• There is no sexual content or nudity, but some song lyrics make undetailed verbal references to sexual activity.

Given these elements, Coolie is unsuitable for children and sensitive audiences, and parents are advised to exercise caution. Fans have requested a family-friendly 'U/A' version, but as of now, only the adult-rated version is available.