After facing criticism for calling Chief Minister Vijay “the man who started it all for Karuppu,” actor-director RJ Balaji has now explained what he meant — and why he still believes Vijay deserves that credit.
At a recent fan meet conducted by Cineulagam, Balaji addressed the online discourse surrounding his viral post that followed Karuppu’s success. The post, featuring pictures of him with Vijay, had sparked debate, with several netizens questioning why he appeared to credit Vijay over Suriya, who eventually headlined the film.
Balaji clarified that his statement had less to do with who acted in Karuppu and more to do with how the project found its way to the right people. “I first went and narrated this film to Vijay sir and told him — this started from you,” Balaji said.
Revealing that he had initially discussed a different large-scale script with Vijay after Mookuthi Amman, Balaji said the project did not move forward because their timelines didn’t align. But the interaction ended up becoming an unexpected turning point.
According to Balaji, his opportunity to pitch to Suriya came only because of that earlier narration. “The main reason is that I got access to Suriya sir only because Vijay sir heard this story,” he said. Balaji recalled that when producers from Dream Warrior Productions first contacted him, they specifically asked if he could narrate “the story told to Vijay sir.”
“For that first door to open, narrating to Vijay sir became the reason. Somewhere in my mind and heart, that holds a very special place,” he added.
At the same time, Balaji stressed that Suriya is the person who transformed his career. “We didn’t make a film together. Suriya sir is the one who made the film. Whatever my life is today — the love I receive, this life-changing moment — happened because I made a film with Suriya sir. But the first door opened because people asked for the story I had narrated to Vijay sir.”
Balaji also said meeting Vijay after Karuppu’s success felt like completing a full circle. “Just like we held the pooja for Karuppu at the Masani Amman temple, I felt the circle would only be complete if I went back and said thanks. That’s why I went.”
When asked what Vijay told him during the meeting, Balaji kept it brief. “He said it’s a good script and that he knew it would turn out well,” Balaji said, adding that Vijay was happy about Karuppu’s success and that they spent around 30 minutes together.
The clarification comes after sections of social media accused Balaji of overlooking Suriya’s contribution to Karuppu, especially after reports that the actor stepped in to ensure the film’s release and later rewarded key technicians following its success.
Also starring Trisha, Swasika, Supreeth Reddy, Indrans, Sshivada and Anagha Maya Ravi, Karuppu has gone on to emerge as a major commercial success despite opening to mixed reviews. The film is now available to stream on Prime Video.
