Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj's last films, Jailer and Leo, have been two of the biggest blockbusters this year. The filmmaker is now set to direct the superstar in his next film. Read on to know why Shah Rukh Khan has refused to be a part of Thalaivar 171.
After collaborating with superstars Kamal Haasan and Thalapathy Vijay, Lokesh Kanagaraj is all set to direct Rajinikanth in his next film. The upcoming film, which is tentatively titled Thalaivar 171 being the 171st film of Rajinikanth as the leading hero, was officially announced in September and will reportedly begin shooting in April next year.
Now, as per reports, the filmmaker had approached Shah Rukh Khan for an extended cameo appearance in the Rajinikanth-starrer but King Khan refused him. "Lokesh even met Shah Rukh Khan and gave him an overview of what he intends to make. While SRK loved the subject and has immense respect for Rajinikanth, he politely conveyed his decision to not feature in the film. After doing a series of appearances in films like Brahmastra, Rocketry, and Tiger 3, SRK now wants to keep himself exclusive for standalone feature films", a source was quoted telling Pinkvilla.
The source further added that Lokesh has now approached Ranveer Singh for the same role. "While Ranveer has heard the character, he is keen to hear the entire script before signing on for the film. Lokesh has also discussed the possibilities of a spin-off to the character if Thalaivar 171 succeeds," as per the report from the same entertainment portal.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Kaithi director took to his X account and announced that he is taking a break to concentrate on Thalaiar 171. "I am writing to announce that I will be taking a break from all social media platforms and my mobile to solely focus on my next project. During this time, I will not be reachable", he wrote.
Lokesh and Rajinikanth's last films - Leo and Jailer - have been two of the biggest blockbusters of 2023. Both films grossed more than Rs 600 crore worldwide. Before Thalaivar 171, the Tamil superstar will be seen next in TJ Gnanavel's Vettaiyan next year.
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