Months after Sundar C spoke about stepping away from what is now Rajinikanth's Dharman, his wife, actor-politician Khushbu, has offered her own take on the decision — while making clear she doesn't consider herself the right person to weigh in on the specifics behind his exit.

In a chat with Behindwoods, Khushbu said the call was ultimately Sundar C's to make as director, adding that the matter was really between him and the other parties involved, and that she'd rather not comment further on it.

The project — originally set up with Sundar C directing and Kamal Haasan producing this landmark Rajinikanth collaboration under Raaj Kamal Films International — went through several directorial changes before Ashwath Marimuthu eventually took over. It was officially launched earlier this year under the title Dharman.

Khushbu recalled that everyone around Sundar C, herself included, was even more excited than him when the opportunity first came up, but that he ultimately chose to exit gracefully. She also revealed she was the one who broke the news to Kamal Haasan, who was in Delhi at the time — passing along Sundar's decision at his request.

She explained that while Sundar C viewed Kamal primarily as his producer, she shared a personal friendship with him, which is why she stepped in to convey the message on his behalf, rather than elaborating further given everyone's stature in the industry.

Sundar C had earlier shared that he chose to step back because he felt he couldn't stay true to his creative instincts under the pressure of a project of that scale, clarifying that the decision had nothing to do with his relationship with either Rajinikanth or Kamal Haasan, and that he preferred to walk away early rather than compromise.

Dharman, which sees Rajinikanth playing a doctor, also stars Simran and Raashi Khanna, and is currently in production.