Rajini’s Next is ‘Dharman: The Deadly Doctor’

The suspense is finally over! Rajinikanth’s ‘Thalaivar 173’ is to be titled Dharman: The Deadly Doctor. The official title and first-look poster are now out.

The film was launched with a formal pooja on Wednesday, an event that was shrouded in secrecy. However, Rajini’s light-hearted speech on the occasion caught attention.

In a joking reference to the constant public scrutiny of his speeches, he said, “When I start speaking it’ll create a problem for both me and you. When I don’t speak, they ask if I have a ‘kozhukattai’ stuffed in my mouth. I realised something after a long time—those who dislike us won’t like anything we do and it is foolish to think that those who like us will appreciate everything we do.”

While Rajinikanth did not specifically mention which issue he was addressing, he was recently criticised for not wishing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on his birthday! He clarified to reporters after the film launch that he had conveyed his wishes to the CM privately.

As DC reported first, Ashwath Marimuthu has been roped in by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI) to helm Dharman.

Rajinikanth noted that Ashwath is the fourth director to be attached to the film. “Initially, Ravikumar was supposed to direct it. Later, it shifted to Sundar C, then to Cibi Chakravarthy and finally, Aswath is set to direct it.”

Talking about the film, Rajinikanth shared that Kamal Haasan had left all the creative choices to him, which made him nervous. “In fact, I begged Kamal to listen to the script as well, rather than letting me handle the entire burden. A huge responsibility rests on Aswath,” he said.

Reflecting on his decades-long friendship with Kamal Haasan, he said, “By 1975, Kamal was already a huge star. I had just entered the industry around that time. I acted in the film Ilamai Oonjalaadugirathu alongside Kamal, thanks to him. Originally, actor Jai Ganesh was supposed to play that role; however, Kamal spoke to director Sridhar and ensured I was cast instead. Kamal appreciated the mannerisms I displayed in the film. The help he extended and the encouragement he offered were remarkable.”

Simran, the female lead, is reuniting with Rajinikanth after Petta. Raashii Khanna is also part of the cast.