Karuppu Financier Slams Rj Balaji Says He Recovered Only 50 Of His Investment Suriya Trisha Krishnan

. Now, veteran Tamil film financier and distributor Tiruppur Subramaniam has lashed out at director RJ Balaji over the handling of the film's release. Claiming that he has recovered only half of his investment, Subramaniam said that while several people worked behind the scenes to ensure the film reached theatres, RJ Balaji ultimately took credit for its success.

He further claimed that he had recovered only 50 per cent of the money he invested in the film and said, "This film was supposed to release during Deepavali 2025, but it was released eight months later. If they quote ₹30–40 crore as the budget, then exceeding it up to ₹45 crore is fine, but when it goes to ₹80 crore, then what can one do? It puts producers and financiers at risk. I invested my own money for the release of this film. I have only got 50 per cent of it back."

Karuppu was originally scheduled to release on May 14, with Chief Minister Vijay approving 9 am shows. However, the screenings were cancelled at the last minute. Theatres across the state cited "unforeseen reasons" and "financial reasons" while announcing the cancellations. Dindigul Cinemas wrote, "Karuppu might be pushed to tomorrow. Financiers need clearance after settlement of a previous pending issue."

The film's director shared a video in which he broke down in tears after the shows were cancelled. According to The Statesman, unsettled dues of ₹10 crore allegedly owed by Dream Warrior Pictures were behind the delay. The report stated that, in the Tamil film industry, distributors often withhold the Key Delivery Message (KDM) — the secure digital key required for a film to be screened in theatres — until outstanding payments are cleared. The producer reportedly failed to settle the amount in time.

The film eventually released in cinemas on May 15 and opened to positive reviews from both critics and audiences. It went on to earn over ₹300 crore worldwide at the box office, emerging as the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2026 so far.

Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.Read More