After a long development journey marked by multiple behind-the-scenes adjustments, superstar Rajinikanth’s highly anticipated 173rd film has officially commenced shooting under the title Dharman. This landmark project, bankrolled by Kamal Haasan’s prestigious Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI), brings to fruition a 40-year-old pact made by the two legends during a flight to Bombay—agreeing that they would eventually produce a film for one another so they wouldn’t have to compete for the same roles.
The film’s grand launch event put to rest months of speculation regarding director changes. Rajinikanth candidly shared that the project was originally considered with K.S. Ravikumar and Sundar C before shifting to Cibi Chakravarthi; however, because Chakaravarthi’s high-stakes script about a nuclear scientist demanded extensive, time-consuming shoots in Russia and Afghanistan, the team chose to postpone that concept. Instead, rising filmmaker Ashwath Marimuthu (Oh My Kadavule) was brought on board to direct. Marimuthu revealed that despite Rajinikanth’s unparalleled legacy, the Superstar approached him with the humility of a newcomer, telling him to treat him like an assistant and freely ignore any suggestions that didn’t fit the vision.
The makers have ignited massive social media buzz by dropping the film’s first-look posters, which completely dismiss rumors that Dharman would be a grounded biopic about a philanthropic “5 Rupees Doctor.” Tagged as “The Deadly Doctor” and carrying the tagline “Dharmame Vellum” (Justice will prevail), the intense visual features a stylish, salt-and-pepper-haired Rajinikanth dressed in surgical scrubs, holding a blood-stained scalpel inside a chaotic operating theater. A subsequent poster features the tagline “Ketta Paiyan Sir”—a classic nod to his iconic Mullum Malarum dialogue—showing him holding a doctor’s coat with a stethoscope. Marimuthu described the film’s tone as a massive, family-oriented investigative thriller that seamlessly blends the pure hero-driven gravity of Padayappa with the gripping suspense of Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu.
Boasting a powerhouse technical crew, Dharman features a trend-setting musical score by Anirudh Ravichander, high-octane action sequences choreographed by the Anbarivu duo, and a star-studded supporting cast that includes Simran and Raashii Khanna.
