Dharman Rajinikanth Reveals Why Film With Kamal Haasan Saw 3 Director Changes Before Ashwath Marimuthu Was Finalised

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming film, produced by Kamal Haasan, has seen yet another director change. Announcing the film’s title as Dharman on Wednesday, the star duo revealed that Ashwath Marimuthu has now been brought on board the project. Talking to the press, Rajinikanth revealed why these changes were made.

Rajinikanth admitted that Ashwath was the fourth director they had announced for the project, saying, “First, we wanted to do a film with Ravikumar. It didn’t work out, so we finalised Sundar C. But he had other projects that were delayed, so he told us he’s stepping away. Then we decided on Cibi Chakravarthi.”

The star then revealed what the film Cibi pitched him was about and said, “The story is very good, but it’s a sensitive subject. It’s about a nuclear scientist…about nuclear weapons. Shooting was to take place in Afghanistan and Russia. It’s a nice subject, but very sensitive and time-consuming. So, we postponed the project and finalised the film with Ashwath Marimuthu.”

Ashwath also spoke at the event and said he’s a fan of Rajinikanth. He revealed that the star sent him a voice note before they pitched the film to Kamal, saying, “We should win at any cost.” The filmmaker stated that despite having decades of experience, the duo keep themselves young and involved in the project.

Dharman is produced by Kamal Haasan-led Raaj Kamal Films International. It is directed by Ashwath Marimuthu of Oh My Kadavule and Dragon-fame. The first-look poster shows Rajinikanth dressed in scrubs, standing in an operating theatre with a bloody scalpel in his hand. Dead bodies can be seen sewn around him near his feet. “The deadly doctor,” reads the tagline for the film. The makers unveiled the poster with the Tamil caption, “Dharmame Vellum,” which loosely translates to “Justice will prevail.” Simran and Raashii Khanna are also part of the cast.

Rajinikanth last starred in the 2024 films Lal Salaam and Vettaiyan, as well as the 2025 film Coolie. The Lokesh Kanagaraj film released amid much hype and performed well at the box office but received lukewarm reviews. Apart from Dharman, the actor also has Jailer 2 with Nelson Dilipkumar lined up. Kamal and Rajinikanth are also shooting a ‘KH X RK reunion’ film that has yet to be titled. That film is also directed by Nelson, and further details are awaited. Unlike Dhaman, the Nelson project will star both of them.

Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More