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Thalaivar 173: Rajinikanth says his next film with Kamal Haasan will be ‘a proper commercial entertainer’

Rajinikanth's next film, Thalaivar 173, will be produced by Kamal Haasan and directed by Cibi Chakaravarthi.

Updated on: Jan 15, 2026, 14:21:06 IST
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Thaiavar 173: Fans erupted in happiness when an official announcement was made that Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan were going to reunite after decades. After Sundar C's exit, Cibi Chakaravarthi was roped in to direct the project. Now, on the happy occasion of Pongal, Rajinikanth wished fans and said that the film will be a ‘proper commercial entertainer.’ (Also read: Rajinikanth's film with Kamal Haasan gets new director after Sundar C's exit, Cibi Chakaravarthi to direct Thalaivar 173)

What Rajinikanth said

Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are all set to work together in a film.
Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are all set to work together in a film.

On Thursday, Rajinikanth met fans who had gathered outside his residence. He waved to his fans and wished them a happy Pongal. For a few minutes, he spoke to the reporters. He said, "My sweet Pongal wishes to everyone. The farmers are the backbone of this country. Only if they are happy will everyone else be happy."

He went on to respond to a question on his next film with Kamal Haasan and said, "Shooting is to begin in April this year. It will be a proper commercial entertainer."

About Thalaivar 173

Kamal had discussed the project for the first time when he attended the SIIMA Awards to accept an award. Kamal said, “We don't know if it's a Tharamana Sambavam (wonderful occurrence), but it's good if the audience likes it. If they're happy, we'll like it. Otherwise, we'll continue trying. This was long coming. We were separate because they gave one biscuit to both of us. But the half biscuit makes us both happy, so we'll come together.”

Fans last saw Kamal in Mani Ratnam's Thug Life. The film opened to mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office. It is now available to watch on Netflix.

Rajinikanth was last seen in Lokesh Kanagaraj's Coolie. The film was released in theatres last month to mixed reviews. It is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das

Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupecha

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