Director RJ Balaji admits VFX flaws in Suriya's Karuppu, apologises to audiences

RJ Balaji addressed criticism over Karuppu's VFX, apologised to audiences, and promised a better visual experience in his next directorial venture, during a recent interview.

In Short

• Director RJ Balaji said he had already acknowledged the visual flaws earlier
• He cited delayed payments and timelines for incomplete head-replacement shots
• The Singham fight scene used minimal shots to manage limitations

Tamil star Karuppu recently made its OTT debut after a successful theatrical run. While the film continues to receive praise for its larger-than-life cinematic experience and Suriya's performance, several viewers have also pointed out certain visual effects and CGI shots that appeared underwhelming on the small screen.

Responding to the criticism, director and actor RJ Balaji, who also played the antagonist in the film, acknowledged the shortcomings and apologised to audiences while promising a better output in future projects.

During an interview with the Tamil website Cineulagam, when asked about the questionable visual effects in certain portions of Karuppu and why he was addressing the issue only now, RJ Balaji pushed back immediately. "Not just now. I acknowledged it a while ago and have spoken about it everywhere," he said.

On the VFX process, he explained, "Some of these shots, especially head-replacement sequences, take months to finish. They also need advance payments to CGI companies." He added that the team "couldn't meet some of the payment schedules and production timelines" and that those practical constraints affected the final output.

Referring to the Singham fight sequence, Balaji said, "We used as few shots as possible to complete that scene." He admitted that the team knew audiences would notice the shortcomings once the film arrived on OTT. "We were aware that we hadn't delivered our best work in those portions," he said.

"If people figure it out, they will criticise it. At the same time, many are also praising us for the experience. After the OTT release, out of everything, there were only a few things like these that people pointed out. For the rest, they are praising us and enjoying the film on OTT just as they did in theatres," he added.

Talking about how one has to treat criticism and praise equally, Balaji said, "When people praise us, we acknowledge it. So, when they criticise us, we have to accept that too. There are a lot of reasons behind it, but I don't want people to know them. It is a mistake. We could have done it better, but we didn't. There were a few mistakes and we accept them. Next time, perhaps, we can plan better in terms of finances."

The filmmaker also reiterated that Karuppu was designed primarily as a theatrical experience. "I told the producers that this film is a theatrical experience. I said that during promotions as well. When you watch it in a theatre with a crowd, you'll experience magic. That magic blurs these mistakes. There are some tiny mistakes, but overlooking these mistakes is also part of cinema," he said.

Speaking about changing viewing habits, Balaji said, "Today's generation watches films on OTT through a different lens. They will criticise it, and we have to take it. Won't you accept praise when it comes? Then you should also accept criticism. This was our learning. Before the audience found out, we already knew about these mistakes. The number of screenshots people are posting after the OTT release—I had already taken many more screenshots than that myself."

Apologising to the audiences, he concluded, "It is a mistake, and I apologise to the audience for giving them an underwhelming OTT experience. Hopefully, next time, we'll do better as a team."

Karuppu, which released in theatres on May 15, emerged as one of the biggest hits of Suriya's career, with the actor's performance, particularly in the film's climax portions, receiving widespread acclaim from audiences and critics alike.

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