Rajini-Kamal's 'Thalaivar 173': Director Sundar C steps down week after big announcement

Chennai: A week after the “landmark collaboration” was announced, popular filmmaker Sundar C on Thursday announced that he is “stepping back” from directing the 173^rd film of Tamil superstar Rajinikanth to be bankrolled by Kamal Haasan’s Raajkamal Films International.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share some important news with you. Due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances, I have made the difficult decision to step back from the prestigious project, #Thalaivar173,” Sundar said in a statement which took Rajinikanth fans by surprise.

The project – which will see Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth collaborating after decades – raised several expectations since it was to be directed by Sundar, a successful director whose films have been commercially successful.

“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,” the director said.

Despite exiting the film, Sundar said he will continue to seek inspiration and wisdom from Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan as he moves forward and turns to them for expert guidance. The director’s statement was posted by his wife and actor Khusbhu Sundar, who is also a BJP leader.

On November 5, Kamal Haasan had announced that the film will hit theatres in January 2027 on the occasion of the harvest festival of Tamils, Pongal, and be released by Red Giant Movies, the production owned by the DMK’s first family.

“A bond that continues to inspire generations of artists and audiences alike,” Kamal Hassan had said, adding that the film will commemorate 44 years of Raajkamal Films International. Rajini’s 171st film Coolie hit the screens on August 14, 2025 and his 172nd film will be Jailer 2.

The announcement came close on the heels of Kamal Hassan saying he and Rajinikanth will reunite on the silver screen for a Tamil movie after 46 years.

Though the two actors – both introduced to Tamil cinema by the legendary K Balachander – had been planning to do a film together, the project never took off.

Speaking about coming together with Rajinikanth in September, Kamal Haasan said both were united long ago but decided to chart their own course as filmmakers and producers were splitting a biscuit and giving them half each.

“We wanted one biscuit each. We enjoyed that one biscuit and we have now come to a decision that half a biscuit is enough. We are happy. We will come together,” Kamal Haasan said. “It may be big news from the business angle, but the decision to come together was taken long back. We always wanted to produce each other’s films but it never happened,” he added.

Kamal and Rajinikanth have been friends ever since they first met on the sets of Aboorva Raagangal, the debut film of the Tamil superstar. After appearing together in over a dozen films – most of them were blockbusters -- the two decided not to act together in 1979.

Though their films clashed at the box office, the two veteran actors continued to build their bond with Rajinikanth, even calling Kamal Haasan his “elder brother in cinema.”

The last movie they appeared together was in 1979-film Alavuddinum Albutha Vilakkum, though they did guest roles in each other’s films for a few years but they too stopped in early 1980s.