Rajinikanth confirms Jailer 2 is done and reveals when he starts filming with Kamal Haasan

Dubai: Rajinikanth had quite a bit to share with reporters this week, and fans of Tamil cinema are paying close attention. Speaking to the media at Chennai airport, the superstar confirmed that shooting on Jailer 2 has wrapped up and that his long-awaited on-screen reunion with Kamal Haasan is set to begin later this year.

Jailer 2 is in its finishing stages

Principal photography for Jailer 2 is complete, and the film is now in post-production. Rajinikanth confirmed it is in its "finishing stage," though he stopped short of revealing a release date, saying the production house would make an official announcement in due course.

The sequel follows the massive success of the first Jailer, which earned Rs 6.4 billion at the box office. Director Nelson returns for the follow-up, as does composer Anirudh Ravichander, who delivered one of the most celebrated soundtracks of 2023 with the original. Much of the core cast is also back, including Ramya Krishnan, Vinayakan, Mirnaa, Yogi Babu and Shivarajkumar.

New additions to the franchise include Jatin Sarna and Suraj Venjaramoodu, and reports suggest Shah Rukh Khan may also appear in the film in a police officer role, though this has not been officially confirmed.

The Kamal Haasan reunion is happening in August

The other major update is around KH x RK, the tentatively titled project that will reunite Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan on screen for the first time in decades. Rajinikanth confirmed that filming is set to begin in August 2026.

The significance of this collaboration is hard to overstate for fans of Indian cinema. The two legends have not appeared together in prominent roles since the 1979 fantasy film Ninaithale Inikkum, making this a reunion that has been nearly 47 years in the making. Their previous collaborations include beloved Tamil classics such as Apoorva Raagangal, Avargal, Moondru Mudichu and Pathinaru Vayathinile, films that defined an era of Tamil cinema.

Kamal Haasan has been equally enthusiastic about the project, saying recently: "A special reunion with my friend Rajinikanth. Every great journey deserves another chapter."

KH x RK will be directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, with music from Anirudh Ravichander, marking Nelson and Anirudh's second collaboration with Rajinikanth after Jailer. The film will be produced by Inban Udhayanidhi under Red Giant Movies, with Arjun Durai and M Shenbaga Moorthy serving as co-producers.

What else is Rajinikanth working on?

Beyond these two projects, Rajinikanth also has Thalaivar 173 in the pipeline, directed by Cibi Chakravarti and backed by Kamal Haasan as producer. It is shaping up to be one of the busiest and most exciting periods of his career in recent memory, and Tamil cinema fans have plenty to look forward to over the next two years.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.