RJ Balaji’s ‘Karuppu’ turned out to be one of the biggest Tamil blockbusters of the year. Starring Suriya, Trisha, Indrans, and Swasika, the film enjoyed a dream run in theatres and reportedly crossed the Rs 300 crore mark worldwide. The success also ended Suriya’s long wait for a major theatrical hit. Following the film’s grand success, Suriya even gifted cars to director RJ Balaji and key members of the technical team as a gesture of appreciation. However, the conversation around the film changed after its OTT premiere, where viewers began noticing certain visual effects flaws that had largely gone unnoticed on the big screen.
RJ Balaji explains the challenges behind the visual effects
As criticism over some CGI-heavy scenes grew online, RJ Balaji addressed the issue during a recent interview with Galatta. Instead of avoiding the topic, the filmmaker openly explained the practical challenges faced by the team. Speaking about a much-discussed head replacement sequence, he said, “For a head replacement shot, it takes nearly eight months to do it properly. The payment also has to be made well in advance. Unfortunately, we could not meet those timelines.” He further revealed that removing the sequence was never an option because it played an important role in the film’s narrative.
‘Karuppu’ director admits mistakes and accepts audience feedback
What caught many people’s attention was RJ Balaji’s willingness to accept responsibility. The director admitted that some portions did not meet the expected quality standards and said the team was fully aware of the shortcomings. “We need to accept our mistakes. We will plan better next time,” he said. He also added with honesty and humour, “More than the audience, I have screenshots of those mistakes. We know everything that is being discussed.” His candid response has been appreciated by many fans, who felt that the filmmaker handled the criticism in a mature manner rather than making excuses.
The viral ‘Singam’ scene and what went wrong
RJ Balaji also spoke about the viral Singam sequence, which became a major talking point after the OTT release. According to him, the team intentionally used fewer shots in that portion to manage technical limitations. “We expected this scene to be discussed after the OTT release because we knew it wasn’t executed perfectly,” he admitted. He explained that action scenes often involve both the lead actor and stunt doubles, which can sometimes create lighting and continuity issues.Although there have been many criticisms on the internet about the movie, RJ Balaji’s clear explanation and willingness to accept their mistakes have enabled them to turn the discussion into one that reflects the practical aspects of making films.
