The Internet was surprised when news emerged about director Sunder C collaborating with ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth for the film tentatively titled Thalaivar 173, produced by Kamal Haasan. The pairing has raised eyebrows, especially since several prominent Tamil filmmakers were vying for the project earlier. However, Sundar C issued a statement on Thursday confirming that he will no longer be directing Rajinikanth’s 173rd film.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share some important news with you. Due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances, I have made the difficult decision to step back from the prestigious project Thalaivar 173,” Sundar C noted in his statement. The director did not reveal a specific reason behind his decision to walk away from what could have been a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration with two icons of Tamil cinema.
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Sundar C added, “In life, there are moments when we must follow the path laid out for us, even if it strays from our dreams. My association with these two icons (Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan) goes back a long way. I will always hold them in the highest regard.”
Sundar C had previously directed Rajinikanth in the cult classic Arunachalam, which was released 28 years ago.
Thalaivar 173 was widely seen as a precursor to Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth’s much-awaited on-screen reunion in another project, which Nelson is rumored to be directing. Neither Rajinikanth nor Kamal Haasan commented on Sundar C’s sudden exit. Meanwhile, names like Lokesh Kanagaraj, Karthik Subbaraj, and Nelson have started doing the rounds as potential replacements to direct Rajinikanth’s 173rd film.
(Tags for translation)Thalaivar 173
