'Thalaivar 173': Cibi Chakravarthi reports exit; is Ashwath Marimuthu the new director?

Superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming movie, tentatively called ‘Thalaivar173’ backed by Kamal Haasan’s production house, seems to be undergoing another change in its director’s seat. Latest reports regarding the film suggest that filmmaker Cibi Chakravarthi, who was announced to helm the film, has exited the project.As per a report by Deccan Herald, director Cibi Chakravarthi has left the film. Earlier, Sundar C was announced as the director. But he stepped down soon after. Later, Kamal Haasan confirmed that change and brought in Cibi Chakravarthi to take over the film. If the reports are true, this will be the second time the film has faced such an issue. In addition to it, there are also speculations that after Cibi Chakravarthi’s exit, the makers are in talks with ‘Dragon’ fame director Ashwath Marimuthu to take over the project.However, there is no official update yet. The production house has not confirmed anything about the exit or the new director. Speaking of the film’s shoot, it is currently under pre-production with shooting expected to commence in April. It is also said that the makers are eyeing a Pongal 2027 theatrical release. On the work front, Rajinikanth was last seen in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘Coolie,’ which was a blockbuster, and he is now shooting the much-anticipated sequel, ‘Jailer 2.’ Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan was last seen in ‘Thug Life’ directed by Mani Ratnam.Additionally, both cinema legends will also reunite on-screen in the upcoming movie tentatively named ‘Thalaivar174 × KH238’, which Nelson Dilipkumar directs. The music for the film is composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Earlier as per a report by Variety, the full movie shoot will only begin after August or September 2026. The makers want to attract big digital platforms, as they plan to bring OTT giants on board.