Rajinikanth’s Dharman traces back to 40-year flight idea, Kamal Haasan reveals: 'This is the person I called…'

40 years after a chance conversation on a flight sparked a dream, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are finally turning it into reality.

The long-anticipated Thalaivar 173, starring Rajinikanth and produced by Kamal Haasan, has officially confirmed its director and title. After multiple changes behind the scenes, filmmaker Ashwath Marimuthu has been confirmed to helm the project, now titled Dharman.

At the Dharman announcement event, Kamal Haasan opened up on the decades-long journey behind his long-gestating collaboration with Rajinikanth, noting that the idea has been in motion for nearly 40 years.

“Thank you for being in the market till I made this film. (folds hands) I thank the industry for it,” Haasan said as quoted by Hindustan Times, addressing Rajinikanth on stage.

He went on to revisit their shared history in cinema, pointing out how both rose through the ranks over the years and eventually reached stardom despite starting from different points in their careers.

“Once, during a flight to Bombay, people kept asking us to do a film together. But acting in the same film then would mean sharing a biscuit. So, we decided we would both make a film, but either I would produce it or he would. We have been talking like that for 40 years now,” he said.

Haasan added that the plan had remained a recurring conversation across decades, resurfacing even in recent years. “Even when we opened this office three to four years ago, this is the person I called. We stood on the terrace and spoke about it. And now, we are doing two films together.”

About Dharman

Before Thalaivar 173 settled on the title Dharman, the project went through several rounds of changes in its director lineup.

At the event, Rajinikanth said Kamal Haasan had given him complete creative freedom. “Kamal gave me complete freedom, saying he would leave everything to me and wouldn't even ask for the story. That placed a huge responsibility on me,” he said.

He added that multiple directors were considered at different stages, including KS Ravikumar, Sundar C and Cibi Chakravarthi, before Ashwath Marimuthu was finalised.

Rajinikanth shared that KS Ravikumar’s version did not move forward, while Sundar C stepped away due to prior commitments.

He also noted that Cibi Chakravarthi had developed a story around a nuclear scientist, but the project was postponed as the subject required more time and careful handling.