Director Nelson Dilipkumar is currently awaiting the release of Beast starring Vijay in the lead and the movie hits theater screens worldwide on April 13, 2022 i.e. Wednesday. At this time, he has opened up in an interview with Vikatan about how it was his Beast star who motivated him for his next project with Rajinikanth i.e. Thalaivar 169 (tentative title).

Vikatan quotes Nelson Dilipkumar as saying (translated from Tamil), "It was Vijay who motivated me to do the Rajini movie. When Beast shoot was going on, Vijay came upto me and asked 'Rajini Sir has started listening to stories for his next. Why don't you give a try'.Rajini Sir is a legend. I was hugely apprehensive about how I could write a story for him. 'You just do the story. It will happen', said Vijay."

Nelson Dilipkumar also revealed that it was only after Vijay sowed this seed, he began writing a story for Rajinikanth. He also said that it was Vijay who prodded him to begin the writing process for Rajinikanth during Beast, so that when Beast was complete, Nelson could begin Thalaivar 169. 

"It is Vijay's positivity that has made this (Thalaivar 169) happen", concluded director Nelson.