After months of uncertainty, Rajinikanth’s much-discussed Thalaivar 173 has finally taken a definitive shape. At a grand title launch event in Chennai, the makers officially unveiled the film’s title as Dharman and confirmed Ashwath Marimuthu as its director, ending months of speculation surrounding one of Tamil cinema’s most anticipated projects.
Presented by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI), the film also revealed a striking first look poster featuring Rajinikanth in a sharply dressed doctor’s avatar. In a departure from his recent screen personas, the superstar appears to be wielding a surgical instrument after committing a murder, with the poster carrying the intriguing tagline, “The Deadly Doctor”.
A project that survived multiple setbacks
The road to Dharman has been anything but smooth. The project was first announced in November last year with Sundar C attached as director. However, the filmmaker later exited the venture, prompting RKFI to bring in Don director Cibi Chakravarthi. A first look announcement followed in January, and the film was expected to commence shooting in April.
Those plans never materialised. As production delays mounted, rumours of yet another directorial change began gathering momentum. Social media circles soon started linking Ashwath Marimuthu to the project. Speculation intensified further when RKFI released a stylish birthday video featuring the filmmaker, though the production house stopped short of making an official announcement.
The title launch event has now confirmed what many fans had suspected for weeks. Fresh off the blockbuster success of Dragon, Ashwath Marimuthu will direct what is easily the biggest project of his career so far.
The title itself has generated considerable interest among fans. Rajinikanth has previously headlined successful films carrying the word ‘Dharma’ in their titles, including Dharmathin Thalaivan (1988) and Dharma Durai (1991). While it remains unclear whether the new film has any thematic connection to those earlier works, the title certainly evokes memories of some of the superstar’s popular films from a different era.
Simran reunites with Rajinikanth
Dharman will also mark Simran’s reunion with Rajinikanth after Petta (2019). The actor’s casting adds another layer of nostalgia to the project, while Raashii Khanna has also been confirmed in a key role.
Industry buzz continues to surround filmmaker-actor Mysskin’s possible involvement in the film. The speculation stems largely from his collaboration with Ashwath Marimuthu in Dragon. While reports suggest discussions have taken place, the makers have not yet confirmed his casting.
The film boasts a strong technical line-up as well. Anirudh Ravichander has been roped in to compose the music, continuing his successful association with Rajinikanth following films such as Petta, Darbar, Jailer and Coolie. Niketh Bommi will handle cinematography, while editor Pradeep E Ragav has been entrusted with the cuts. Popular stunt choreographer duo Anbariv are also part of the crew.
Production on Dharman is set to begin on June 25. The announcement also raises questions about the immediate future of Ashwath Marimuthu’s other high-profile project, STR 51 starring Silambarasan. The fantasy rom-com was expected to begin production after Silambarasan completed work on Vetri Maaran’s Arasan. However, with Dharman now moving into production, Ashwath’s focus is expected to remain firmly on Rajinikanth’s film for the foreseeable future.
A release date for Dharman is yet to be announced, but after months of delays and uncertainty, the project has finally moved beyond speculation and into production.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: filmfare.com
