Suriya's ₹250 crore hit, Karuppu, was supposed to be Vijay's last film before he entered politics: RJ Balaji

Originally written for Vijay, Karuppu featured Suriya after Vijay opted out, leading to significant changes in the screenplay.

Filmmaker RJ Balaji and Suriya’s latest release, Karuppu, has emerged as a massive box-office success. The film crossed ₹250 crore worldwide within just eight days of release and became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2026. Amid the film’s success, Balaji revealed in an interview with Hollywood Reporter India that Karuppu was originally intended to be Vijay’s final film before his full-time political entry.

RJ Balaji reveals Karuppu was supposed to be Vijay's last film.

RJ Balaji says Karuppu was supposed to be Vijay's last film

Balaji shared that the film was initially written for actor-turned-politician Vijay. He said, “This was supposed to be his last film, so we had two or three meetings over a period of time, discussing his political entry and deciding which film he should do as his final project.”

However, Vijay eventually opted out of the film. Balaji later narrated the script to Suriya, who reportedly loved the concept and also suggested changes that helped shape the final version of the screenplay. Talking about Vijay stepping away from the project, Balaji said, “I felt his reasons were justified. I told him, ‘Sir, I absolutely respect your decision. Thank you so much.’ By then, I had already narrated two stories to him after he asked me if I had something suitable. I considered that itself a huge sign of respect for my work and creativity.”

About Karuppu

The fantasy action drama revolves around the guardian deity Vettai Karuppu, who disguises himself as a lawyer to fight corruption within a legal system, exploiting a young girl awaiting a liver transplant. Alongside Suriya, the film stars Trisha Krishnan and RJ Balaji, along with Indrans, Natty Subramaniam, Swasika, Sshivada and Supreeth Reddy in key roles.

Released on May 15, the film opened to mixed-to-positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. It went on to become not only the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2026 but also the biggest hit of Suriya’s career so far, collecting ₹253 crore worldwide, including over ₹150 crore in India.

About Vijay’s final film

Earlier this month, C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in the presence of family members and hundreds of supporters. Meanwhile, his final film as an actor, Jana Nayagan, has remained stalled for nearly five months.

Directed by H. Vinoth, the film has reportedly been awaiting clearance from the CBFC after being referred to the revising committee days before its planned January release. The delay came after a member of the examining committee filed a complaint, following which the makers reportedly failed to receive relief from the courts.

The film also stars Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju and Bobby Deol in key roles. While the makers are yet to officially announce a revised release date, ticket-booking platforms such as District and BookMyShow currently list June 19 as the tentative release date for Jana Nayagan.