‘Karuppu’ team to modify Ilaiyaraaja dialogue: No intention to disrespect maestro, says production house

The makers of Karuppu have said that they will “remove or modify” the dialogue referring to legendary music composer Ialiyaraaja. Starring Suriya, the Tamil movie is directed by RJ Balaji.

On May 19, 2026 (Tuesday), production house Dream Warrior Pictures took to X to inform fans that the film had “no intention to offend, hurt or disrespect him.” In the movie, which released on May 15, 2026 (Friday), a dialogue referes to Ilaiyaraaja’s strict actions towards unauthorised use or remixing of his songs.

Dream Warrior Pictures said in the post, “We understand that a particular dialogue appearing in Karuppu has caused concern and has upset him. We sincerely regret that the dialogue has resulted in such sentiments.”

The production house further wrote, “We deeply value and respect his feelings and as a gesture of our regard, we have decided to remove/modify the concerned portion in future versions and subsequent exploitations of the film.”

The film team said that the “reference in the movie was part of a broader satirical context and was not conceived as a personal remark directed at him.”

Meanwhile, Karuppu has enjoyed a terrific opening at the box office. On May 18, 2026 (Monday), the production house announced that the movie has grossed ₹147 crore worldwide in the opening weekend.

The Hindu review of the movie said, “After a point, Balaji and his team of writers have struggled to propel the plot forward, with Karuppu and his powers becoming a God-sized problem at the centre of the plot. It irks to see Trisha’s character, lawyer Preethi, serve little purpose beyond decoration. Meanwhile, though Sai Abhyankkar’s songs with Balaji’s picturisation fit this modern take on a ‘saamy padam,’ his scores do appear to distract one from the proceedings.”

“But then, even through all these pitfalls, what really makes Karuppu a fun entertainer is the sheer control of the frame that Suriya exhibits and the goodness in Balaji’s morality tale. This is a story of hope, and hope is always a good thing.”