Suriya's Karuppu show turns festive as Trisha, Karthi join fans at Chennai theatre

Karuppu finally opened in Chennai on Friday. To mark the occasion, director RJ Balaji, Trisha Krishnan, Sai Abhyankkar and Karthi joined Suriya fans at Rohini Theatre.

In Short

• Thursday release was stalled by last-minute finance and production issues
• Overnight clearances allowed packed screenings and loud celebrations across Tamil Nadu
• RJ Balaji thanked audiences and said the film now belonged to them

The delayed release of Suriya's Karuppu turned into a full-blown theatre moment in Chennai on Friday, as director RJ Balaji, Trisha Krishnan and Karthi surprised fans at a packed morning show at Rohini Theatre.

After missing its planned Thursday opening, the Suriya-starrer finally hit theatres on May 15. Director RJ Balaji, along with Trisha, music composer Sai Abhyankkar and actor Karthi, joined audiences for the show, amplifying the already charged atmosphere.

See photos from the theatre here:

Videos from the venue showed fans crowding around Balaji at the entrance, while another clip captured him addressing the audience: “Let’s have a great time. We’ve crossed all obstacles. Hope you like the film; the film is all yours now (sic).”

Another widely circulated video showed Sai Abhyankkar performing one of the film’s songs inside the theatre, adding to the celebratory mood.

A day before the release, RJ Balaji had shared an emotional video apologising after the film failed to arrive in theatres as scheduled. At Friday’s screening, he thanked fans for standing by the team through the delay, with audiences responding with cheers as the cast and crew watched the film alongside them.

Watch videos here:

Why was Karuppu release delayed?

Karuppu was originally scheduled to release on May 14, with fans gathering outside theatres for early shows. However, the film did not open as planned due to last-minute financial and production issues, including reportedly unsettled dues from the production side. As a result, several first-day-first-show screenings across Tamil Nadu were cancelled, leaving fans waiting through the day.

The issues were resolved overnight, allowing the film to finally release on Friday. It opened to packed houses, with loud cheers and celebrations reported across the state. In Chennai, the energy peaked at Rohini Theatre as fans welcomed the visiting team with drums, confetti and fireworks, while Karthi’s presence further heightened the excitement inside the auditorium.

Another moment that caught attention was the film’s title card. Before the screening began, the makers displayed a special note referring to Vijay as “Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay”. The reference quickly sparked conversation online, with many pointing out that Karuppu used the title even before Jana Nayagan.

About Karuppu

Directed by RJ Balaji, Karuppu is positioned as a commercial action entertainer rooted in rural storytelling, exploring themes of justice, power and corruption. Suriya plays Saravanan – a nod to his real name – while Trisha essays the role of Preethi.

The film also features Natty Natraj, Mansoor Ali Khan, Swasika, Sshivada, Anagha Maya Ravi and Supreeth Reddy in supporting roles.

Backed by SR Prabhu and SR Prakash Babu under the Dream Warrior Pictures banner, the film’s music is composed by Sai Abhyankkar. Despite a delayed start and a day of uncertainty, Karuppu eventually opened to a strong response.

- Ends