What role is Rajinikanth actually playing in Dharman? The director finally left the biggest clue
At the launch of Rajinikanth’s film Dharman, director Ashwath Marimuthu said that the film is a family thriller and not a “5 rupee doctor” story. His comments along with the first-look poster and production update have increased the interest in the superstar’s role as the shooting begins on Thursday.
Rajinikanth’s 173rd film religionwill be a mixture of Padayappa And Vettaiyaadu VilayaduAccording to director Ashwath Marimuthu. Speaking at the film’s launch event on Wednesday, the filmmaker described the project as a mix of his two favorite films starring Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, pointing towards a story that combines mass entertainment with thriller-style storytelling.
Dharman was officially launched on Wednesday, with producer Kamal Haasan unveiling the title and first look. Elaborating on the film’s style, Ashwath said that it draws inspiration from its larger-than-life appeal. Padayappa and the investigative edge of Vettaiyaadu VilayaduSuggesting a film that blends Rajinikanth’s trademark screen presence with elements of an entertaining thriller.
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Ashwath also offered the biggest clue so far about Rajinikanth’s character, putting to rest speculations that the superstar will play a role inspired by the popular “5 rupee doctor” archetype. Instead, the director described Dharman as a family-oriented thriller with a larger-than-life protagonist, suggesting a character that leans more towards mass entertainment than straight biographical inspiration.
Speculation about Rajinikanth’s role had been rife in recent months, when reports emerged that he would be playing a kind-hearted, philanthropic doctor based on real-life personalities such as Karnataka’s Dr. SC Shankare Gowda, who is popularly known as the “5 rupee doctor” for his affordable healthcare services. However, Ashwath’s latest comments indicate that Dharman is going in a very different direction.
The recently released first-look poster has increased the curiosity. It shows Rajinikanth wearing blue medical scrubs, holding a bloodied scalpel and standing over a beaten man. With the tagline ‘Dharme Vellam’ (Justice will prevail), the poster hints at a character who is far from a conventional doctor.
There has been a long journey to the set in this project. Originally announced for 2025 with Sundar C as director, the film later went through several changes behind the scenes. Sundar C left the project due to unexpected circumstances, while later reports suggested a Tamil film. leaderDirector Sibi Chakraborty also walked away from the film during pre-production. Ashwath Marimuthu has now officially taken charge of the project and confirmed that the shooting will begin from Thursday.
Produced by Kamal Haasan’s banner RKFI, the film also stars Simran and Raashi Khanna in lead roles. The music is being composed by Anirudh Ravichander, while the cinematography, editing and action choreography will be handled by Niketh Bommi, Pradeep E Raghav and Anbariv respectively.