Rajinikanth's Thalaivar 173 Titled "Dharman", First Look Out

The visual design combines the medical backdrop with dark action-thriller elements.

• Rajinikanth is dressed in blue hospital surgical scrubs and medical gloves.

• He sports a sharp salt-and-pepper hairstyle paired with dark sunglasses.

• In classic Thalaivar fashion, he is seen smiling confidently, in contrast to the chaotic scene around him.

• The background is a chaotic hospital operating room. He is holding a bloodied surgical scalpel, and his medical gloves are stained with blood.

• At his feet lies a motionless body, surrounded by scattered medical equipment and broken shards of glass.

The poster was released with the official tagline 'Dharmame Vellum', which translates into 'Righteousness alone will triumph'.

The design hints at a unique blend of a rebellious saviour and a dark medical thriller, in which his character serves as both a doctor and a fierce vigilante.

The 'Four Director' Merry-Go-Round

The biggest controversy has been the constant changes in directors before filming even started, which led to heavy internet speculation about the creative differences.

Rajinikanth officially clarified at the launch event that Ashwath Marimuthu is actually the fourth director brought on for the film.

The first director chosen to helm the project was Sundar C, but he walked away because he felt a large-scale project like this would force him to compromise his creative vision, sparking rumours of a falling-out.

Media reports also claimed he tried to pitch a story that had already been rejected by other actors, which upset fans.

Next, director Cibi Chakravarthy was brought in. He wrote a script about a global nuclear scientist that required filming in Russia and Afghanistan.

Rajinikanth eventually stalled it because the political subject was too sensitive and time-consuming, resulting in Cibi being replaced.

The final director chosen for the film was Ashwath Marimuthu, who was widely known for his previous directorial works, including "Oh My Kadavule and Dragon".

He successfully looked at the script, designed the 'Deadly Doctor' avatar, and started the shooting.

Between Cibi's exit and Ashwath's final hiring, highly publicised industry reports and insider confirmations revealed that actor-director Dhanush was in serious talks.

He was evaluated by Kamal Haasan's RKFI to helm the film, though a final script wasn't locked in.

Before the title and poster drops, leaks hinted that Rajinikanth was playing a doctor.

This immediately sparked a social media controversy, with users accusing the makers of plagiarising or copying the life of the 'Rs. 5 Philanthropist Doctor' from Tamil Nadu.

The director had to issue statements to debunk the rumours, clarifying that 'Dharman' is an entirely original action thriller.

Star Cast

The officially announced cast of Dharman includes Rajnikanth, Simran, Raashi Kanna and Yogi Babu. The crew would soon choose the film's remaining cast.

An exact release date has not been mentioned on the newly unveiled first-look poster.

However, the makers are eyeing a grand theatrical release for Pongal 2027.