Kamal Haasan and Shankar are going through the worst phases of their careers.
Kamal’s much-hyped films Thug Life and Indian 2 were box office washouts, while Shankar — once hailed as “India’s Spielberg” — has seen his credibility erode due to Indian 2 and Game Changer turning out to be epic embarrassments.
Amid this freefall, one project from their collaboration remains shrouded in doubt — Indian 3.
For months, no one knew whether it would hit theatres, drop on OTT, or be scrapped altogether. But now, strong buzz from Chennai suggests that Superstar Rajinikanth may have stepped in to salvage it.
Sources say Rajinikanth, who has a close working relationship with Lyca Productions, personally intervened. He reportedly urged both Kamal and Shankar to put aside egos and financial losses and finish the film without any upfront payment.
The deal is said to be profit-sharing only — meaning they’ll earn only if the film turns a profit, after recovering the damage caused by Indian 2.
What makes this even more interesting is that Indian 3 is believed to contain the true emotional and ideological weight of the franchise.
While Indian 2 was a nostalgia-driven mess aimed at commercial success, Indian 3 reportedly explores Senapathy’s transformation, ideological dilemmas, and flashbacks to his anti-colonial past — the kind of depth that was missing from the sequel.
With a stronger role for Kajal Aggarwal and a fresh soundtrack by Anirudh Ravichander, the film still holds potential — if it ever releases.
If the insider chatter is true, Indian 3 might just become the redemption arc both Kamal and Shankar desperately need — or their final misfire if they mess it up again.
