Directed by Manmohan Desai & Prayag Raaj and produced by Manmohan Desai Productions, Coolie stands as a testament to Bollywood's innovative spirit and cultural impact. Rewarded as a directorial debut to Prayag Raaj for scripting 12 blockbuster hits for Desai, the film uniquely reinterprets the epic Ramayana for mainstream cinema, breaking new ground with a Muslim hero in a non-Muslim social commentary. During production, Coolie made nationwide headlines when Amitabh Bachchan faced a life-threatening accident while filming in Bangalore, which was immortalized in a poignant freeze-frame moment. As the nation came together to pray for Bachchan’s life, Desai revised the narrative, altering the script to ensure that Bachchan's character survived. The original script had included a tragic climax where Bachchan was to lose his life. Upon release, Coolie sparked unprecedented fervour, with audiences queuing overnight at theatres, cementing the film's status as the highest-grossing hit of 1983 and a top-ten hit of the decade, exceeding 75 weeks in several regional centres.