Chennai,  3 Jan 

Filmmaker Cibi Chakaravarthi has been appointed as the director of Thalaivar 173, an upcoming high-profile project starring Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.

The announcement comes after Sundar C stepped away from the project, citing “unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances”, soon after its official launch.

Confirming his association, Chakaravarthi took to X on  3 January to share an emotional note, describing the opportunity as a lifelong dream. He reflected on his journey from being a small-town admirer of Rajinikanth to directing a film headlined by two of Tamil cinema’s most iconic stars.

Quoting Rajinikanth, the director said that dreams do come true and added that the project felt larger than life with Kamal Haasan also playing a key role in the film.

He expressed gratitude to both actors and producer Mahendran for placing their trust in him, assuring that he would give his “heart and soul” to the film.

Thalaivar 173 has generated significant buzz due to the rare collaboration between Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. Further details regarding the film’s cast, crew and production timeline are expected to be announced in the coming days