Dhanush delays OM Chapter 1 out of respect for Rajinikanth's Jailer 2: 'Our superstar, the man we have admired...'

In a crowded festive season, one of Tamil cinema's biggest names has chosen to wait. Dhanush has confirmed that OM: Chapter 1, his film with Mammootty, will no longer open on October 16. The reason is the film landing just 24 hours earlier: Rajinikanth's Jailer 2.

A step back

With Jailer 2 set for October 15, a clash between the two releases seemed certain. On Wednesday, Dhanush ended that possibility with a post on X. He said the new date was a mark of regard for Rajinikanth, calling him an actor the industry has admired for decades. He also admitted that moving a film this close to release is not easy.

He wrote, "Our superstar, Rajinikanth sir, the man whom we have all admired and worshipped over the years, has his film arriving on October 15, just a day before ours. Out of immense respect for him, we have decided to postpone the release of our film, OM, to a later date.”

Why Diwali is off the table

Diwali would have been the obvious fallback, but Dhanush ruled it out as well. Suriya's film had already claimed that date, and Dhanush said the team announcing first deserved priority. He argued that big productions should respect each other's release plans for the sake of the wider industry, rather than splitting audiences and box-office returns.

No new date has been announced yet.

A packed calendar

The decision shows how tight the October–November window has become for Tamil releases this year. OM's original October 16 slot, wedged against one of the season's biggest star vehicles, was among the riskiest spots on the calendar. By stepping aside twice, Dhanush gives Jailer 2 and Suriya's Diwali release room to run, and signals that OM will look for a less crowded window of its own.