May 10, 2026 7:59pm IST
Chaos in Kollywood: Will Suriya’s ‘Karuppu’ Calm The Uncertainty ‘Storm’ In The State’s Film Industry
In the wake of state elections in Tamil Nadu and the declaration of the results thereof, the craze for cinema has taken a backseat. Films like Dhanush’s “Kara” (released April 30) and Rathna Kumar’s “29” (released May 8) had lukewarm openings. The former’s collections currently stand at ₹32.40 crore (net), with a deep dip noticed on the second weekend.
The twists and turns – from Thalapathy Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) securing 108 seats, becoming the single-largest party to the events leading to getting the required majority (118 seats) – and the actor-turned-politician’s swearing-in and taking charge as the new Chief Minister of the state, have been a hot topic of discussion, even overshadowing the hype around the upcoming “Karuppu,” starring Suriya and Trisha, set to arrive in theatres on May 14. The film is being touted as a comeback vehicle for Suriya. Meanwhile, Jai's "Sattendru Maaruthu Vaanilai", arrives a day later, on May 15.
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‘Karuppu’’s calm-down effect
While exhibitors point out that this summer has been terrible for them in general, they’re pinning hopes on "Karuppu" for a box office revival. Palaniappan of Chennai-based Kasi Theatre, says, "No movie so far has managed to make an impact this summer season. A series of engaging dramas were expected during election season. But things became really unpredictable. I have my fingers crossed." ‘Karuppu’’s final trailer drops tonight (on May 10) ahead of the release on May 14. Advance bookings for Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala open tonight.
“Karuppu” producer SR Prabhu is confident that the recent political drama is unlikely to affect his film's prospects at the box office. He says, "The hype and hoopla around the election and the swearing-in is likely to diminish in a few days' time. Moreover, it's been a while since we have had a big-ticket mass film. ‘Karuppu’ is that much-awaited movie that caters to all sections of audience."
Winning ways
The team of "Sattendru Maaruthu Vaanilai,” on the other hand, feels that Vijay’s taking charge as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is likely to help their movie. Initially intending to release the film a month ago, the makers deduced that their promotions would get sidelined because of massive campaigning in the state and decided to postpone the film to May 15.
Director Babu Vijay says the film, which has several 'Vijay references,' is likely to attract the current CM’s fans and even released a poster recently featuring Jai imitating a posture made popular by Vijay in some of his movies. Adds Babu, "The movie has Jai playing a fan of Thalapathy Vijay and there are ample moments that the latter's fans could celebrate. We have planned for a pre-release event on Monday (May 11, 2026)."
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