Trisha and Suriya’s Karuppu hits theatres a day late, team thanks Vijay with special message

After days of uncertainty, legal wrangling, and last-minute cancellations, RJ Balaji’s much-talked-about action drama Karuppu, starring Suriya and Trisha Krishnan, has finally made it to theatres, albeit a day later than planned.

The film was originally slated for a grand Thursday, May 15 release, complete with early morning 9 am shows after reportedly receiving the green light from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. But just as anticipation peaked, screenings were abruptly called off one after another, with financial disputes emerging as the key stumbling block behind the chaos.

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By Friday, however, the storm had cleared enough for Karuppu to finally open worldwide, sending relief and celebration through Suriya fans. Social media quickly filled with clips, photos, and theatre celebrations as audiences welcomed the star back to the big screen after a long wait.

Ahead of the release, production house Dream Warrior Pictures addressed the delay with an emotional message, acknowledging the frustration while thanking audiences for their patience.

The team described the film’s journey as one marked by setbacks and emotional strain, but also sustained by unwavering audience support. In their note, they apologised for the inconvenience and expressed deep gratitude to fans who “never stopped believing” in the project, calling Karuppu a labour of love shaped by “blood, sweat, sleepless nights, struggles, and emotions.”

“There are some journeys that test not just time, but the heart itself. To every person who waited for Karuppu, who kept asking about the film, who never stopped believing in us even through the silence and delays — we owe you an apology, and more importantly, our deepest gratitude,” the producers noted. “We know this wait was painful. We know many of you held onto this film with so much love and expectation. Every delay weighed heavily on us, too.”

There are some journeys that test not just time, but the heart itself.

To every person who waited for Karuppu who kept asking about the film, who never stopped believing in us even through the silence and delays — we owe you an apology, and more importantly, our deepest…

— DreamWarriorPictures (@DreamWarriorpic) May 14, 2026

On release day, the film’s momentum was further amplified by star presence and industry support.

Suriya shared new posters and thanked fans for standing by the team during turbulent days, while Trisha Krishnan reshared his post. The film’s first-day-first-show at Chennai’s Rohini Silverscreens turned into a mini industry gathering, with Trisha, director RJ Balaji, composer Sai Abhyankar, and actor Karthi attending the screening together. The makers also opened the film with a special on-screen thank-you to actor and now Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay.

The cast also includes Indrans, Natty Subramaniam, Swasika, Sshivada, and Anagha Maya Ravi in key roles.

Despite the disruption, industry trackers like Sacnilk had already shown strong early interest in the film, reporting advance bookings of Rs 7.92 crore (including block seats) before the release roadblock. The Tamil version led the charge, with Telugu contributing a smaller share, and overall ticket sales crossing nearly 3 lakh across thousands of shows.

With Thursday’s cancellations affecting momentum, Karuppu now faces the challenge of rebuilding its box office trajectory. Early Friday bookings have been slower in parts of Chennai, though the film continues to trend on ticketing platforms, with thousands of tickets still being sold in short bursts, a sign that audience curiosity hasn’t faded despite the turbulent start.