Director and writer RJ Balaji revealed Vijay was supposed to play the lead role in Karuppu.
He turned down the offer and mentioned certain reasons which Balaji felt justified.
Later, Balaji narrated the script to Suriya, who finally boarded the project.
Did you know Karuppu would have been actor-turned-politician Vijay's final film? Yes, you read it right. Filmmaker RJ Balaji revealed that the Suriya-starrer was originally written for Vijay. Karuppu opened to positive reviews from critics and audiences and is currently a box office juggernaut. It crossed the Rs 200 crore worldwide within eight days of release.
RJ Balaji on why Vijay turned down Karuppu
In an interview with THR India, Balaji said, “This was supposed to be his (Vijay) last film. We had two or three meetings, and he heard the script. Since it was supposed to be his last film, there were a lot of things that he had to consider.”
“He had another option with H Vinoth (director of Jana Nayagan). He then asked me if he could inform me in a week. He then called me and mentioned certain reasons (to turn down the project), which I felt were justified,” Balaji added.
Even though Vijay was not part of the film, Balaji thanked him in the film’s opening credits, because “The entire thing happened because he asked me the right questions after my narration, questions that made my film and my script better.”
Karuppu hit the theatres on May 15, after a one-day delay. It has grossed Rs 258.85 crore worldwide, and its India nett collection stands at Rs 163.20 crore, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.
The film is about a deity, Vettai Karuppu, who disguises himself as a lawyer to fight against the exploitation of a young girl who needs a liver transplant.
Trisha, Swasika, Indrans, Yogi Babu, Sshivada, Natty Subramaniam and Supreeth Reddy round out the cast. RJ Balaji is also part of the film, playing a pivotal role.
