RJ Balaji has revealed that Karuppu was originally written with Vijay in mind before the actor’s full-fledged entry into politics.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, RJ Balaji shared that Vijay was the very first actor to hear the story and that the project was initially discussed as a potential final film before the actor shifted his complete focus toward politics.
According to Balaji, multiple discussions took place between them regarding the project and Vijay’s career direction at the time.
“We had two or three meetings which went on for some time, discussing things like him entering politics and taking a call as to which film to make as his last film,” Balaji said.
He revealed that Vijay was also considering another project with director H. Vinoth, later announced as Jana Nayagan, and had requested some time before making a final decision.
“Later, he called me and mentioned certain reasons for not accepting the project,” Balaji shared.
While admitting that he was initially disappointed, the filmmaker said he fully respected Vijay’s decision and believed the actor’s reasons were justified.
“I absolutely respected his decision. By that time, I had narrated two films to him when he asked if I had something. I saw that as a huge respect for my work and creativity,” he said.
Balaji further revealed that Karuppu was first written in August 2023 and Vijay responded positively after hearing the narration.
“When I narrated the story to Vijay sir, he appreciated it a lot and immediately asked, ‘Can we do this film right away?’” Balaji recalled.
However, the filmmaker explained that the screenplay still required further development.
“I told him I needed more time to shape the script properly,” he added.
Before the project could move forward, Vijay’s political commitments reportedly took priority, ultimately changing the course of the film.
Following Vijay’s exit from the project, Dream Warrior Pictures later approached RJ Balaji about narrating the same story to Suriya, a move Balaji said he had already informed Vijay about.
“That’s how the project eventually transformed into a Suriya film,” he explained.
Despite Vijay not taking up the film, Balaji acknowledged the actor’s contribution to the creative process and revealed why he thanked him in the film’s opening credits.
“Even though Vijay didn’t do the film, the fact that he listened to the story opened the door for me to make it. After hearing the narration, he raised the right questions, and those inputs ultimately helped improve the script,” Balaji said.
With Karuppu now headlined by Suriya and directed by Arun Matheswaran, the revelation has sparked fresh interest among cinema fans, offering a glimpse into how one Kollywood project evolved through changing circumstances and career paths.
Source : Cinema Express
