Sundar C breaks silence on exiting Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan film: ‘It was too much pressure for me’

Sundar C was announced as the director of the highly awaited Tamil film. But he exited the project after the announcement, shocking fans.

Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan announced last year in November that they are set to star together in a film tentatively titled Thalaivar 173. It was scheduled for release around Pongal 2027. Sundar C was attached to direct. Merely days after that announcement, Sundar C released a statement saying that has opted out of the film, citing ‘unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances.’

Sundar C was announced as the director of the film starring Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth.

What Sundar C said

Months after that note, Sundar C has broken the silence on his exit. In an interaction with Behindwoods, he has shared why he chose to walk away from the project. He shared in Tamil, “To be honest, it was too much pressure for me. For the past 16 years, I’ve made films the way I wanted, based on what I felt would work with the audience. But I don’t have the capacity to make people understand this during production. I don’t know how to narrate a film effectively, and at the same time, I get compromised easily without putting up a fight.”

He went on to add, “So if I do a big film like this, it won’t be just my decisions. I felt the pressure and realised I couldn’t stay true to the project or the people involved. That’s why I stepped away at the very beginning stage itself.”

Sundar C said that he had informed Rajinikanth and spoke with him about his decision to quit the project. Director Cibi Chakaravarthi was roped in to helm the project.

More details

In a statement that was shared last year after his exit, Sundar C apologised to fans for opting out of the film and stated that it was a ‘difficult decision.’ "In life, there are moments when we must follow the path laid out for us, even if it diverges from our dreams. My association with these two icons goes back a long way, and I will always hold them in the highest regard. The special moments we have shared over the past few days will be cherished forever by me. They have taught me invaluable lessons, and I will continue to seek their inspiration and wisdom as I move forward," he said in his note.

Both Rajinikanth and Kamal have been teasing their collaboration since before the release of the former’s Lokesh Kanagaraj film Coolie in 2025. Kamal was last seen in Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life and is now shooting for a yet-to-be-announced project. Rajinikanth will soon star in Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer 2.