Filmmaker-actor RJ Balaji’s Suriya and Trisha Krishnan-starrer Karuppu’s May 14 screenings were cancelled due to financial issues faced by producer SR Prabhu of Dream Warrior Pictures. Even as the team scrambles to sort it out, the film was mistakenly screened in Mumbai, Pune, and Varanasi by Qube without the producer’s go-ahead. Prabhu’s legal team has now posted a public notice to ensure the film doesn’t meet Jana Nayagan’s fate and falls prey to piracy even before it hits screens. (Also Read: ₹140 crore Suriya, Trisha Krishnan film screened by ‘mistake’ in North India”>Karuppu producer worries about piracy after ₹140 crore Suriya, Trisha Krishnan film screened by ‘mistake’ in North India)
Public notice by Karuppu producer
The official social media accounts of Dream Warrior Pictures posted a legal notice warning fans against circulating leaked clips of Karuppu. The notice in its entirety reads:
I am the legal counsel for Dream Warrior Pictures, the Production House of the Tamil feature film “Karuppu” and I issue this Public Notice under instructions from and on behalf of my cilent. My client is the Producer and copyright owner of the film Karuppu, a high-budget feature film starring Actor Suriya, Trishna Krishnan and others, directed by R.J Balaji and with music composed by Sai Abhyankkar and the film is produced with investments running into several hundreds of crores. The film carries substantial theatrical, satellite, OTT, overseas and commercial value and was scheduled for a grand worldwide theatrical release across more than 20 countries and approximately 3,000 screens worldwide.
(Also Read: All shows for Suriya, Trisha Krishnan’s Karuppu cancelled; Dhanush, Dulquer Salmaan say it ‘deserves proper release’)
It has come to my client’s utmost shock and dismay that due to unauthorized and illegal activation of KDMs by Qube Cinema Technologies, certain theatrical screenings of the Tamil version of the film Karuppu were unlawfully exhibited in North India without the final authorization or approval of my client. As a consequence of such unauthorized exhibition, visuals, scenes, clips and other copyrighted portions from the film have been illegally recorded, accessed and circulated through various social media platforms and digital mediums.
It is hereby notified that any downloading, recording, storing, forwarding, sharing, uploading, reposting, transmitting or circulating of any scenes, clips or leaked content relating to the film Karuppu through WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, torrent websites or any other online or offline platform constitutes serious offences under the Copyright Act, 1957, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Information Technology Act, 2000. Such acts amount to piracy, copyright infringement and unlawful dissemination of protected cinematographic content and are punishable with severe civil and criminal consequences.
The general public is therefore strictly cautioned and advised not to download, receive, access, store, circulate, forward, exhibit or share any unauthorized content relating to the film Karuppu in any form whatsoever. Any person found involved in such activities hereafter shall face immediate legal action including civil and criminal proceedings before the appropriate authorities and courts, entirely at their own risk as to costs and consequences.
Karuppu screened in Mumbai, Pune, Varanasi
This comes hours after Prabhu met the Producers Council following the screening of Karuppu by Qube, the digital cinema system, in Mumbai, Pune and Varanasi. It was revealed at a press conference afterwards that the film was made on a budget of ₹140 crore. “They said Jana Nayagan was pirated due to the negligence of an editor. Now, if Karuppu was released due to a staff member’s negligence, where will this end? We have condemned Qube and asked them how they will fix this. Since this is a huge loss, we have asked for compensation,” said Siva, General Secretary of the Council.
(Also Read: Karuppu release delay explained: What stands in the way of Suriya, Trisha Krishnan’s much-awaited film)