The poster showcases a bearded Rajinikanth adorned with ‘handcuffs’ that are actually made out of watches. He sports a rugged denim shirt, paired with sunglasses, and flashes a devilish smile. The background of the poster is filled with mechanical parts that resemble the inside of a watch. Interestingly, the director chose to depict the superstar in monotone, while the watches and his sunglasses were evidently made out of gold.

Sharing the look on social media handles, the filmmaker also stated that he will finally reveal the title of ‘Thalaivar 171’ on April 22. Take a look here:

Although the filmmakers have not officially revealed anything about the film, from the poster itself, one can assume that it may involve themes related to time and gold. But what has really caught the eye of netizens is the emphasis on the gold watch, seemingly a Rolex, which has begun speculations about a potential crossover with Suriya. For those not aware, Suriya is known as Rolex in Lokesh’s Cinematic Universe (LCU). Fans have taken to social media platforms, expressing their excitement that Rajinikanth’s new film might feature the star. Despite all the theories, the filmmaker had previously made it clear that the film will be a standalone one, and will not be part of his cinematic universe. But fans are still keeping their hopes up.

Currently, the pre-production of the film is underway, with filming scheduled to commence in the next few months. The movie is touted to be an action-thriller, whilst marking the superstar’s comeback to the action genre, with intense action sequences.

Interestingly, ‘Thalaivar 171’ marks Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s first time collaborating together. There have been reports stating that Sivakarthikeyan will be starring in the film as well, but no official confirmation has been made so far. Additionally, composer Anirudh Ravichander and stunt director duo Anbariv will be a part of the film’s crew as revealed by the poster. However, it is anticipated that the complete team of the film will be unveiled on the day the title is announced.