From Block to Rock: How ChatGPT Tuned Anirudh’s Creativity for Rajini’s Coolie

WOWLY- Your AI Agent Apr 02, 2026 600 Views

Music and technology collided behind the scenes of Rajinikanth’s much-awaited film Coolie, as composer Anirudh Ravichander candidly revealed how artificial intelligence—specifically, ChatGPT—helped him overcome a mid-composition creative block. This open embrace of AI tools for musical creativity is stirring fresh debate about the future of songwriting and film music in India’s ever-evolving entertainment landscape.

Key Highlights: How ChatGPT Shaped Coolie’s Soundtrack

Hit with a “creative wall” while finalizing one of Coolie’s eight high-profile tracks, Anirudh turned to ChatGPT, OpenAI’s language model, as a last resort. He fed it the song’s context and described where he felt stuck—particularly in crafting the final two lines of a lyric.

Unhappy with inspiration running dry, the composer even bought a premium subscription to guarantee uninterrupted AI access. In response to his prompt, ChatGPT generated ten suggested lines, one of which sparked the idea that enabled Anirudh to finish the challenging section and break through his writer’s block.

Anirudh stressed in interviews that creative blocks are a universal issue for artists, but AI can now serve as a practical support tool rather than letting the block fester. He described the experience as not just a workaround but an enhancer of the final product.

Inside the Coolie Album: Innovation Beyond Lyrics

The Coolie soundtrack, featuring eight energetic songs—Coolie Disco, Chikitu, Uyirnaadi Nanbane, I am the Danger, Monica, Kokki, Powerhouse, and Mobsta—marks Anirudh’s fifth musical collaboration for a Rajinikanth film and is being touted as another game-changer.

Anirudh detailed how some tracks blend retro inspirations with modern flourishes. For example, Chikitu Vibe borrows beats from T Rajendhar’s classic style and draws comedic motifs from the Chandramukhi hit Raa Raa. This innovative mashup of nostalgia and novelty was facilitated by the same spirit of experimentation that led him to use AI in the creative process.

Each star in Coolie, including supporting actors like Nagarjuna Akkineni, Soubin Shahir, and Shruti Haasan, got a unique background theme, further raising the stakes on the album’s originality. Anirudh described the project as both exhilarating and high-pressure because of the film’s scale and its iconic lead.

Creative Process and the AI Experience: Artist’s Perspective

In public statements and promotional interviews, Anirudh described his workflow—watching sequences, brainstorming until fatigued, but always staying open to new tools. He emphasized that integrating AI did not mean surrendering to automation; instead, it provided a spark, an external nudge that could be filtered and customized by the human creator.

The use of AI in song composition, especially with a star as big as Rajinikanth at the center, signified a pragmatic shift: technology is now a legitimate part of the composer’s toolkit, joining traditional instruments, software synths, and even old-fashioned pen and paper.

Anirudh’s story—subscribing to ChatGPT Premium to avoid interruptions and mining its outputs for inspiration—highlights the growing relevance of AI tools in Indian film music, a move other artists may now feel more emboldened to explore.

Film and Context: Coolie’s Scale and Story

Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, introduces Rajinikanth as an aging gold smuggler seeking to restore his lost criminal empire, with the story rooted in greed, time, and high-octane action. The film’s highly anticipated release on August 14, 2025, comes with not just star power, but a soundtrack whose creation involved a dash of AI ingenuity.

The music team also includes lyricist Chandhru Anbazhagan, cinematographer Girish Gangadharan, and editor Philomin Raj, signaling a comprehensive ensemble effort behind the blockbuster.

Industry Reactions and Cultural Impact

Anirudh’s candid admission has triggered dialogue about creative authenticity, the future of AI in music, and the value of transparent artistic processes. Many view his example as a positive sign of technology democratizing creative possibility, while others debate what “human touch” in music will mean in the AI era.

Within the Indian entertainment sector, this episode may set a powerful precedent for composers, lyricists, and filmmakers eager to innovate and stay competitive amid growing global technological breakthroughs.

Sources: NewsBytes, Cinema Express, News18

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