Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are joining forces for a mass entertainer like no other. Thalaivar 173 remains one of the most anticipated films. However, the project took a setback when director Sundar C dropped out due to ‘unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances’. But the good news is that Cibi Chakaravarthi has now come onboard to direct the ambitious project.
Cibi Chakaravarthi to direct Thalaivar 173
A while ago, on January 3, 2026, filmmaker Cibi Chakaravarthi took to X (formerly Twitter) and announced being part of Thalaivar 173 as its director. The overwhelmed filmmaker penned a long note, expressing gratitude to Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan for giving him this dreamy opportunity.
Cibi started his post by sharing that as a small-town boy, his only big dream was to meet his favourite ‘Super star’ (Rajinikanth) and take a picture with him, and how his passion for the megastar drove him towards cinema.
Check out Cibi Chakaravarthi’s post:
Chakaravarthi further expressed in his emotional note, “Today is that day. #Thalaivar173 Day. And I remember Thalaivar saying, “Dreams do come true. Miracles do happen.” At times, life goes beyond dreams and becomes even bigger, with legendary Ulaganayakan, Padma Shri @ikamalhaasan sir and #Mahendran sir as our producer.”
He concluded by stating, “Grateful forever @rajinikanth sir, @ikamalhaasan sir & #Mahendran sir, and I promise to put my heart & soul to keep up the trust.”
About Thalaivar 173
Currently, all eyes are on Thalaivar 173, a project Rajinikanth’s fans have been anticipating for a long time. Earlier, Sundar C was directing the project. But soon after the official announcement, he released an official statement revealing he is no longer part of the project.
In the statement, Sundar C penned that due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances, he has made the difficult decision to step back from the prestigious project.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates on Thalaivar 173.