Vijay grants special permission for 9 am shows of Trisha and Suriya's Karuppu days after becoming CM

Just days into his new role as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Joseph Vijay is already making headlines that stretch far beyond politics. After earning praise from fellow Tamil cinema icon Kamal Haasan for shutting down 717 liquor outlets across the state, Vijay has now sent fans of Tamil cinema into celebration mode with another big decision, greenlighting 9 am First Day First Show screenings for Karuppu.

The announcement dropped Tuesday evening via Dream Warrior Pictures, the production banner behind the film, with a photo of Vijay working from the Chief Minister’s Office. The makers thanked him for granting “special permission” for the early screenings, confirming that the film’s FDFS frenzy will begin from 9 am on May 14. Director-actor RJ Balaji also amplified the update on social media, sending fans into overdrive.

Karuppu stars Suriya as Karuppuswamy, with Trisha Krishnan and RJ Balaji playing rival lawyers. The film is already carrying strong pre-release buzz, having reportedly crossed Rs 4.45 crore in day-one advance bookings across India. It also marks Suriya and Trisha’s reunion more than two decades after Aaru.

The 'special permission' angle matters because Tamil Nadu has kept a tight leash on early-morning screenings ever since the chaos surrounding the 2023 Pongal box-office clash between Thunivu and Varisu. Back then, celebrations at ultra-early fan shows spiralled into crowd trouble and tragedy, prompting authorities to curb screenings before 9 am and enforce stricter approvals for superstar releases.

Since then, exceptions have been rare. Big-ticket films like Leo and Kanguva managed to secure early-show approvals, though even Leo later ran into legal complications after permissions were reportedly rolled back. With Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam now in power, fans are already speculating whether Tamil cinema’s blockbuster culture could be entering a more relaxed era again.

Of course, the internet being the internet, many observers quickly noticed another layer to the story: Trisha stars in Karuppu. The actor has remained at the centre of ongoing rumours linking her to Vijay after the two were spotted together at public events earlier this year. Though both have consistently maintained they are close friends, speculation has only intensified after Trisha attended Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony and was seen warmly greeting his family, including his mother.