Actor Rajinikanth is currently playing lead in Jailer and will be seen in a pivotal character role in his daughter Aishwarya's movie Lal Salaam, which is bankrolled by Lyca Productions. The star actor's next as a lead - Thalaivar 171 (tentative title) is also expected to be with Lyca Productions [Rajini has a two-film deal with the banner], and until recently Don director Cibi Chakravathy's name was associated with the project.

Latest buzz however is that Cibi is out of the race for directing Thalaivar 171, as Rajinikanth was not satisfied with the director's script. Comali (2019), Love Today (2022) director Pradeep Ranganathan is currently in the lead to helm Thalaivar 171. It remains to be seen if he ends up directing Rajinikanth for the first time in his career.