Yesterday, the pre-release event of Suriya’s Karuppu was held in Hyderabad, where director-actor RJ Balaji said he made the film for Tamil and Telugu audiences who genuinely enjoy cinema. He further added that Karuppu is not meant for those who constantly dissect films on social media.
However, a five-year-old video of RJ Balaji is now going viral online, in which he appeared to mock Telugu films during an award function. A section of Telugu audiences has expressed disappointment over the old remarks, calling them offensive.
Whether RJ Balaji will respond to the controversy or issue an apology remains to be seen. Karuppu is set to release in Telugu as Veera Bhadrudu on May 14. Trisha plays the female lead, while Sai Abyankkar has composed the music.