Actor-politician Khushbu Sundar has taken centre stage in defending her husband, filmmaker Sundar C, after a barrage of online rumours erupted around his sudden exit from Rajinikanth’s upcoming project, 'Thalaivar 173', produced by Kamal Haasan.

A day after Sundar C issued a press note announcing that he had stepped away from the project due to “unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances,” social media turned speculative, with several users alleging that the director had delivered a weak script or been removed from the film.

However, Khushbu, known for her outspoken persona, swiftly shut down the rumours—one troll at a time. Khushbu dismantles rumours, one tweet at a time

When an X user accused Sundar C of narrating a “subpar story” to Rajinikanth and called his press statement “disrespectful and arrogant,” Khushbu responded sharply: “And you tweet and raise questions on hearsay?? What a disaster you are.”

Another user posted a meme suggesting Rajinikanth had run away from Khushbu, claiming it was the reason the film was dropped. The actor didn’t mince words:

“Appadidhaan un amma unnai peththaangala?? Thanks for the info.”

In perhaps her most fiery retort, when a troll wrote that Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan had “thrown out” Sundar C and that the industry should “dump him,” Khushbu shot back:

“Yen seruppu size 41, adi vaanga thayaara??”

Her replies quickly went viral, with fans praising her for standing firm against online toxicity.

What Sundar C actually said

Sundar’s announcement came just days after Kamal Haasan had officially revealed the collaboration on November 2. Calling it a “difficult decision,” Sundar stated:

“Although I am stepping away from this opportunity, I shall continue to seek the expert guidance of Rajinikanth sir and Kamal sir.”

He emphasised his admiration for both legends and apologised to fans eager for the collaboration.

What’s next for the filmmaker?

While speculation around ‘Thalaivar 173’ continues, Sundar C has already moved on to his next commitments. He is currently directing ‘Mookuthi Amman 2’, starring Nayanthara, and will also be seen acting in K Thirugnanam’s thriller ‘One 2 One’ alongside Anurag Kashyap.

As chatter continues online, Khushbu has made it clear she will not tolerate misinformation or disrespect—especially when it targets her family.