Ram Pothineni has joined the cast of Rajinikanth’s Dharman, Raaj Kamal Films International announced on 8 November 2026. The production house unveiled a 43-second promotional glimpse on its official X account, introducing the actor through illustrated motion graphics.
Produced by Kamal Haasan and R Mahendran, the film is written and directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, with music by Anirudh Ravichander. Ram acknowledged the announcement on his own account, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to act alongside Rajinikanth in a Kamal Haasan production.
The Diwali reveal uses aircraft imagery and a turbulence announcement to introduce its newest cast member. Illustrated versions of Ram appear in contrasting looks, including a patterned shirt and tie, blue-tinted glasses, and a red jacket. The promotional cards describe his move from Telugu cinema into the Tamil project without identifying his character or revealing his place in the story.
Rajinikanth also appears in illustrated form before the Dharman title card and its tagline, The Deadly Doctor. The clip credits Anbariv with action choreography, Niketh Bommi with cinematography, Pradeep E Ragav with editing and M.R. Karthik Rajkumar with production design.
Published reports list Nayanthara, Simran, Yogi Babu, Raashi Khanna and Sreeleela among the ensemble. They also identify the project as Ram’s first collaboration with Rajinikanth.
Background
Dharman’s title was unveiled at a Chennai launch on 24 June 2026. The first-look artwork presented Rajinikanth in a doctor’s outfit, establishing the central character’s profession without detailing the plot.
Ashwath Marimuthu came to the project after Oh My Kadavule and Dragon. Earlier coverage described Dharman as his first film directing Rajinikanth and reported that shooting was scheduled to begin on 25 June. Subsequent reports said three filming schedules had been completed.
The cast has expanded through a series of announcements. Nayanthara’s arrival was reported on 25 October, marking another collaboration with Rajinikanth after Annaatthe. Her earlier films with him include Chandramukhi and Darbar. Sreeleela was welcomed on 4 November for her first project alongside the actor.
Simran’s casting also renews a screen association with Rajinikanth after Petta. Anirudh’s involvement continues a succession of collaborations that includes Petta, Darbar, Jailer, Vettaiyan, Coolie and Jailer 2.
Ram’s casting extends his work across languages rather than marking his first connection with Tamil cinema. He previously starred in N. Lingusamy’s The Warriorr, made in Telugu and Tamil in 2022. His Telugu filmography includes Devadasu, Ready, Kandireega and iSmart Shankar.
