Dhanush Postpones OM Out of Respect for Rajinikanth and SuriyaA Rare Act of Industry Courtesy
SaiPallaviCanvas Editorial · 23 September 2026
Dhanush has officially moved OM (Chapter 1: Udhiram, The Blood Wood) off its 16 October 2026 theatrical date. The decision was announced in his own words, in his dual capacity as lead actor and producer under Wunderbar Films.
Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 is locked in for 15 October. Suriya's Scene already holds the Diwali window, releasing on 6 November. Dhanush has stepped aside from both.
This is no small concession. Shifting a completed, high-profile film mere weeks before release carries real cost, logistical strain, and lost momentum. Dhanush chose the more difficult path, and named his reason without qualification: respect.
Dhanush, Producer and Lead Actor of OM.
In times like these, shifting the release of a film comes with its own set of challenges. Our superstar, Rajinikanth sir, the man whom we have all admired and worshipped over the years has his film arriving on October 15th, just a day before ours. Out of immense respect for him, we have decided to postpone the release of our film, OM, to a later date.
At the same time, we will not be arriving for Diwali this year either, as Suriya sir's film has already been announced for the same date. In all fairness, they announced their date first, and we strongly believe that big films should have a mutual understanding and respect each other's decisions, keeping the larger welfare of cinema and the industry in mind.
We will announce our new release date very soon.
Dhanush
Om Namashivaaya
The statement is unusually direct. There is no blame assigned, no suggestion of being forced into the decision, only a deliberate choice to avoid an unnecessary clash.
Tamil cinema carries a long memory of crowded festive weekends that split screens, dilute collections, and leave audiences choosing sides. As producer, Dhanush could have held on to the 16 October slot. He chose not to.
The outcome is straightforward: Jailer 2 retains its opening day, Scene keeps the festival window it announced first, and OM will wait for a date that does not require another film to lose ground.
Fans of the film, and of the Dhanush–Sai Pallavi reunion following Maari 2, have largely received the news in the spirit it was intended: as professional courtesy rather than retreat. The unwanted competition has been avoided; the work itself remains unchanged.
OM is written and directed by Rajkumar Periasamy. It stars Dhanush, Mammootty, Naseeruddin Shah, Sai Pallavi, Sreeleela and Indrans, with music by Sai Abhyankkar. The film is produced by Dhanush's Wunderbar Films and RTake Studios. A new theatrical release date will be announced by the makers.
SaiPallaviCanvas will update the film slate and archive once the new date is confirmed. Until then, the record stands: a producer-actor chose courtesy over calendar advantage, and the industry is better for the example.