Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan had announced in November 2025 that they are ready to star together in a film. It is tentatively titled Thalaivar 173, planned to release around Pongal 2027, with Sundar C as the director. However, days after the announcement, Sundar C issued a statement confirming his exit. He cited “unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances” as the reason for the decision to walk away from such a high-profile collaboration.
Sundar C explains why he was out of Thalaivar 173
Sundar C has finally addressed the matter by revealing the reasons behind his exit in a conversation with Behindwoods. He said, “To be honest, it was too much pressure for me. For the last 16 years, I have made films the way I wanted, based on what I thought would work with the audience. But I don’t have the ability to explain this to people during production. I don’t know how to explain a film effectively, and at the same time, I compromise easily without a fight.”
He also talked about the challenges of handling a film of such scale and expectations. Sundar C said, “So if I do such a big film, it won’t just be my decisions. I felt the pressure and realized that I couldn’t stay true to the project or the people involved in it. So I backed out at the initial stage itself.” He also confirmed that he had personally informed Rajinikanth about his decision. After his departure, director Siby Chakraborty was brought on board.
Sundar C’s official statement
In her first statement issued after her exit, Sundar C had called it a difficult decision. He said, “In life, there come moments when we must follow the path laid out for us, even if it differs from our dreams. My association with these two icons goes back a long way, and I will always hold them in the highest regard. I will always cherish the special moments we shared these past few days. They have taught me invaluable lessons, and I will continue to draw on their inspiration and wisdom as I move forward.”
Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth work front
Kamal Haasan was last seen in Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life and is now shooting for an untitled project. Rajinikanth will be next seen in Nelson Dilip Kumar’s film Jailer 2.
Also read: Did Sundar C leave Rajinikanth’s film Thalaivar173 because of his film Sanghamitra? The director revealed