The title and first-look poster of superstar Rajinikanth's 173rd film were unveiled on Wednesday by the makers. The film, produced by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International and directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, is titled Dharman.

The film’s puja ceremony was held in Chennai on Wednesday in the presence of the cast and crew. Shooting for the project is scheduled to commence on June 25.

The first-look poster features Rajinikanth in blue medical scrubs, holding a blood-stained scalpel. The actor is also seen stepping on a man lying on the ground.

The makers unveiled the poster with the caption, “Dharmame Vellum”, which is loosely translated as “Justice will prevail”.

At the film's launch event, director Ashwath Marimuthu confirmed that Rajinikanth will play a doctor in the film. He added that Dharman would be a commercial entertainer with family and thriller elements.

Actresses Simran and Raashi Khanna are part of the cast.

The film’s music will be composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Niketh Bommi will handle cinematography, while editing and action choreography will be managed by Pradeep E Ragav and stunt duo Anbariv, respectively.

Dharman was first announced in 2025. Director Sundar C was initially attached to helm the project. However, days after the announcement, he stepped away from the film citing “unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances”.

Subsequently, filmmaker Cibi Chakravarthy was brought on board to direct the project. After working on the film's pre-production, he also exited the project. Ashwath Marimuthu, known for Oh My Kadavule and Dragon, later took over as director of the film.