Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Dharman has once again become a major topic of discussion among Tamil cinema fans after a social media post by actress Raashii Khanna reportedly revealed the presence of Telugu actor Ram Pothineni around the film’s sets.
Raashii Khanna is already part of Dharman, which is being directed by Ashwath Marimuthu. The film stars Rajinikanth in the lead role and is being produced by Kamal Haasan under the Raaj Kamal Films International banner along with R Mahendran of Turmeric Media.
The latest development concerns Ram Pothineni, whose reported casting in the film had been circulating for several weeks. Earlier reports had suggested that the Telugu actor could play an important role, potentially as the antagonist opposite Rajinikanth. However, the filmmakers had not officially announced his casting at that stage.
The speculation gained fresh attention after Raashii Khanna reportedly shared pictures featuring herself, Rajinikanth and Ram Pothineni on social media. The post was subsequently deleted, according to reports and social media discussions. The deletion has led fans to believe that the pictures may have revealed information about the film before the makers were ready to make an official announcement.
However, the reason for the deletion has not been officially confirmed. There has been no clear public statement from Raashii Khanna, director Ashwath Marimuthu or the production house explaining why the post was removed. Therefore, claims that the production team specifically asked the actress to delete the post should be treated as speculation unless an official source confirms them.
Ram Pothineni’s reported involvement in Dharman is not entirely new. Cinema Express reported in August that there was considerable speculation about the Telugu actor joining the project. At the time, reports suggested that he could portray Rajinikanth’s son-in-law and the central antagonist in the action-oriented film. However, the publication noted that official confirmation was still awaited.
If Ram Pothineni is eventually confirmed as part of the cast, Dharman would mark his first Tamil film project. The actor is a well-known name in Telugu cinema and has appeared in films including Devadasu, Ready, Maska, Kandireega, Nenu Sailaja and iSmart Shankar.
His reported association with Dharman has therefore generated considerable interest among both Tamil and Telugu film audiences. A combination of Rajinikanth’s star power and Ram Pothineni’s popularity in Telugu cinema could make the casting one of the notable talking points surrounding the project.
Dharman is being directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, who previously directed Oh My Kadavule and the Telugu film Ori Devuda, as well as Dragon. The filmmaker took charge of the Rajinikanth project after earlier changes in the director lineup. The film was initially associated with the tentative title Thalaivar 173 before Ashwath Marimuthu came on board.
The film officially went on floors on June 25, 2026, and has been progressing through multiple shooting schedules. In September, Ashwath Marimuthu announced the beginning of the third schedule through a behind-the-scenes video from the sets.
That video featured Rajinikanth and Raashii Khanna in a restaurant setting and was accompanied by a message indicating that the director had returned to shooting with Rajinikanth. The update confirmed that production was moving forward with the lead cast.
Apart from Rajinikanth and Raashii Khanna, Simran and Yogi Babu are also associated with the film. Rajinikanth and Simran are reuniting after their appearance together in Petta, which was released in 2019. Reports have also mentioned Rukmini Vasanth and Mysskin in connection with the project, although some of those casting reports have not received official confirmation.
The makers have maintained secrecy around several aspects of Dharman, including its complete cast and storyline. This has resulted in considerable speculation whenever photographs or behind-the-scenes material appear online.
The reported deletion of Raashii Khanna’s post has therefore attracted particular attention because it appeared to involve Ram Pothineni. Fans quickly circulated screenshots and discussed whether the post had accidentally revealed an important casting detail.
At present, the available evidence supports saying that Ram Pothineni’s involvement has been widely reported and that the latest social media development has added to the casting buzz. It is more cautious, however, to avoid describing his role as officially confirmed until the filmmakers or the actor make a formal announcement.
The exact character Ram Pothineni may play is also not officially established. Earlier reports suggested that he could appear as a major antagonist and possibly as Rajinikanth’s son-in-law. Those details originated from reports and speculation rather than a formal announcement by the production team.
The technical team for Dharman includes music composer Anirudh Ravichander, cinematographer Niketh Bommi and editor Pradeep E Ragav. Stunt choreography is being handled by the popular action duo Anbariv. Karthik Rajkumar is associated with the art department.
The film is being produced on a significant scale, and the combination of Rajinikanth, Ashwath Marimuthu and Kamal Haasan has already generated strong interest. The project also represents another major collaboration between leading names from different sections of the South Indian film industry.
For now, the latest development is the deleted Raashii Khanna post and the renewed discussion surrounding Ram Pothineni’s reported involvement. While the post has strengthened the belief among fans that he is part of Dharman, an official casting announcement remains the clearest confirmation to look for.
Dharman is currently in production, and the makers have not yet announced the film’s release date. As shooting continues, more details about the characters, story and complete cast are expected to emerge through official announcements.
Until then, the Ram Pothineni casting should be described as strongly reported rather than officially confirmed. The deleted social media post has certainly intensified the discussion, but the reason behind its removal and the actor’s exact role remain unclear based on publicly available information.
