Dharman: Rajinikanth reveals why film with Kamal Haasan saw 3 director changes before Ashwath Marimuthu was finalised

TAmil superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming shoot, produced by Kamal Haasan, has seen in time another theater director exchange. Announcing the shoot’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 finalises Dharman with Ashwath MarimuthuRajinikanth 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.About DharmanDharman 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.