[citation needed] In early 2016, it was reported that Ramachandran would first appear in a film titled Kabali Thottam directed by T. R. Bhaskar, and would portray the role of a "rugged, anti-hero character".
While he portrayed a supporting role in the former project headlined by Samuthirakani, the latter marked his debut as a lead actor and saw him appear alongside actress Aishwarya Dutta.
Other incomplete projects that he worked on in the period included supporting roles in Nawin Ghanesh's Theeyorkku Anjael, Robert's Araathu and Sridhar Govindhraj's Paper Boy.
[7] Under the new stage name of Jr MGR, Ramachandran began work on an action film by Rathan Linga titled Gangster 21 in early 2021.
Paired opposite Raai Laxmi, Jr MGR portrayed the lead role of a youngster who comes to Chennai from the Andaman Islands to meet his father, though the film remains unreleased.