Rajinikanth unveiled the first-look poster of Gautham Ram Karthik's Root-Running Out of Time on Thursday. The poster features the actor standing with his arms over a desk, as a sand clock in the background denotes time running out. The film is penned and helmed by debutant Sooriyaprathap S, who has previously worked as an associate director on Rajinikanth's Kochadaiiyaan.

Sharing the poster along with photos of Rajinikanth unveiling it, Gautham Ram Karthik wrote on X, "As far as blessings go, having my idol, the Legendary Super Star, Rajinikanth sir, release the first look poster for our project, ROOT, is truly an unbelievable experience. What a surreal way to start 2026! Truly feeling blessed and grateful! With his blessings, ROOT steps into a timeless journey!" (sic)

A sci-fi crime thriller, the film also stars Hindi actor Aparshakti Khurana in a key role, marking his Tamil debut, with Bhavya Trikha playing the female lead. Root also stars veteran actor Y Gee Mahendran, Pavni Reddy, Linga, and RJ Anandhi, among others.

The film’s technical team comprises cinematography by Arjun Raja, editing by John Abraham, music by Vithushanan, production design by Bhavna Govardan, and action choreography by Miracle Michael.

Extensively shot across Chennai and other key locations, the film is currently in the post-production stage. Dhanishtan Fernando, Rajarajan Gananasambandam, Sanjai Shankar, and Shaik Mujeeb are producing the upcoming film under the Verus Productions banner. Plot details, along with a release date, are yet to be announced by the makers.