Prithviraj Sukumaran in Talks for Villain Role in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Thalaivar 171 with Rajinikanth
In the wake of his recent blockbuster hit, “Leo,” featuring Thalapathy Vijay, Tamil director Lokesh Kanagaraj is soaring high in the world of cinema. “Leo” has shattered box office records and is on the fast track to becoming the biggest hit in Tamil Cinema history.
Amidst this success, Lokesh has initiated pre-production work on his upcoming project, with none other than Superstar Rajinikanth set to play the lead. This highly-anticipated film, tentatively titled “Thalaivar 171,” is scheduled to begin production in March or April of the next year and will be produced by Sun Pictures.
Recent reports circulating on social media suggest that Mollywood sensation Prithviraj Sukumaran is in discussions to take on the role of the villain in Lokesh and Rajinikanth’s collaborative venture. However, it’s worth noting that these discussions are still in their early stages, and Prithviraj has not yet given his final approval for the project. The reason for this delay is Prithviraj’s commitment to his third directorial endeavor, “Empuraan,” starring the esteemed actor Mohanlal.
“Empuraan” is poised to be the largest film ever produced in Malayalam cinema, and its shooting schedule is projected to extend until August. Prithviraj’s calendar is expected to be fully occupied until the middle of 2024.
Notably, Anirudh Ravichander has been enlisted as the music director for Lokesh’s film, and the director himself has expressed great excitement about this big-budget experimental project. It’s worth mentioning that Lokesh had previously planned a collaboration with Prithviraj, although it did not come to fruition. In fact, there were rumors that Prithviraj was the initial choice for the character of Harold Das, portrayed by Arjun in “Leo.”
As fans eagerly anticipate “Thalaivar 171,” the potential inclusion of Prithviraj Sukumaran in the cast adds an extra layer of excitement to this highly anticipated Rajinikanth starrer. Stay tuned for more updates on this intriguing project.