Actor Rajinikanth is currently part of two upcoming projects - Lal Salaam where he plays an extended cameo, and Vettaiyan (Thalaivar 170) which marks the lead star's first time collaboration with writer, director TJ Gnanavel. While Lal Salaam is set to release in 2024, Rajinikanth is currently shooting for Vettaiyan in southern Tamil Nadu. 

Rajini also has Thalaivar 171 (tentative title) with director Lokesh Kanagaraj and Sun Pictures, which is expected to go on floors by April, 2024. At this time, buzz about Rajinikanth's further line-ups - Thalaivar 172 and Thalaivar 173 have surfaced.

Word in the grapevine is that 73 year old Rajinikanth is set to team up with director Mari Selvaraj in Thalaivar 172, and that this project will be produced by 7 Screen Studios. The production banner has films like Vijay's Master (2021), Leo (2023), Vikram's Mahaan (2022), Cobra (2022) and Vijay Sethupathi's Tughlaq Durbar (2021), Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal (2022) to its production credit. 

Industry buzz also suggests that Rajinikanth's Thalaivar 173 will see him reuniting with his Jailer director Nelson Dilipkumar. While official announcements on the same await, director Karthik Subbaraj who has worked with Rajini in Petta (2019) also seems to be a name in the mix, for one of the actor's projects post Thalaivar 172 and Thalaivar 173.