Sreeleela Joins Rajinikanth’s Dharman in Star-Studded First

Sreeleela’s Tamil slate just got its biggest name yet. Raaj Kamal Films International announced on Wednesday that the actor has joined Rajinikanth in Dharman, marking their first collaboration. The film is directed by Ashwath Marimuthu and produced by Kamal Haasan and R Mahendran under the Raaj Kamal Films International and Turmeric Media banners.

The production house welcomed her with a video and a playful caption:

“She’s got the spark. She’s got the pataka. Welcoming the gorgeous Sreeleela to Dharman.”

Sreeleela joins an ensemble that already includes Simran, Nayanthara, Yogi Babu and Raashii Khanna, and the film is moving toward the final stretch of principal photography after its third schedule wrapped in late September.

A Tamil line-up that keeps stacking up

Dharman continues a busy run for Sreeleela in Tamil cinema. She made her debut earlier this year with Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi, and has since signed on for two more high-profile titles before this latest addition.

• Om – with Dhanush and Mammootty.
• Daredevil – with Ajith Kumar, directed by Adhik Ravichandran, who reunites with Ajith after Good Bad Ugly (2025).
• Dharman – her first film with Rajinikanth.

That gives her a formidable run of co-stars across generations, and Dharman places her inside one of Tamil cinema’s most anticipated productions.

What Dharman brings to the table

The project also pairs Rajinikanth with Ashwath Marimuthu for the first time. Marimuthu debuted with Oh My Kadavule (2020) and followed it with the 2025 hit Dragon, so the combination of his contemporary storytelling and Rajinikanth’s screen presence is a key talking point.

Rajinikanth reportedly plays a doctor, but not the reassuring kind. The makers have described the character with the phrase “Ketta Paiyan” – a nod to the actor’s memorable 1978 Mullum Malarum character – and posters have shown him with blood on his hands, hinting at a darker, morally ambiguous side.

Anirudh Ravichander scores the music, continuing a collaboration with Rajinikanth that stretches from Petta (2019) and Darbar (2020) through Jailer (2023), Vettaiyan (2024), Coolie (2025) and Jailer 2 (2026). The technical team includes cinematographer Niketh Bommi, stunt choreographers Anbariv, editor Pradeep E Ragav and production designer Karthik Rajkumar.

No official release date has been announced, but reports point to an April 2027 theatrical release. With the cast filling out and the final schedule approaching, Dharman is shaping up as one of the bigger Tamil titles on the horizon.

Source: Filmfare