New Delhi: Superstar Rajinikanth, who was last seen in 'Jailer5', is all set to collaborate with filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj for the first time. After months of speculation that Kanagaraj will direct Rajinikanth in the actor's 171st film, production house Sun Pictures made the official announcement on social media on Monday. 


"We are happy to announce Superstar @rajinikanth's #Thalaivar171. Written & Directed by @Dir_Lokesh. An @anirudhofficial musical. Action by @anbariv," Sun Pictures said in a post on X. 






The currently untitled movie will be written and directed by Kanagaraj. Anirudh Ravichander, who is basking in the success of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Jawan’, will compose music for the upcoming film which will have stunts by ‘Anbariv’. 


Kanagaraj, known for ‘Kaithi’, ‘Vikram’ and the upcoming ‘Leo’, also expressed happiness about working with Rajinikanth. 


"Excited to be joining hands with Thalaivar @rajinikanth Sir for #Thalaivar171 with @sunpictures. An @anirudhofficial Musical. An @anbariv stunt," the director wrote on the microblogging site, formerly called Twitter. 


 






Rajinikanth was last seen in 'Jailer', which is currently streaming on Prime Video. The film, which is a blockbuster, is about a retired jailer Tiger Muthuvel Pandiyan (portrayed by Rajinikanth), who goes on a manhunt to find his son’s killers. 


Produced by Sun Pictures and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, the film features Rajinikanth in the lead role alongside Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, Vinayakan, Tamannaah Bhatia and Master Ritvik in pivotal roles and special cameos by Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar and Jackie Shroff. 


The actor recently paid a surprise visit to Jayanagar Bus Depot attached to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) in Bengaluru where he worked as a conductor before becoming an actor. Rajini, along with his best friend Raj Bahadur, who pushed him to take up acting, walked into the depo where both worked once upon a time. 


Rajinikant, who was born as Shivajirao Gayakwad in a Marathi family, worked as a conductor and Raj Bhaddur worked as a driver of BMTC bus.