Karuppu Review: Suriya Hits God Mode As Film Secures 4th Highest Peak Hour Sales On BMS

Suriya is back on the big screen with Karuppu, and the early buzz suggests that the film is off to a flying start. Directed by RJ Balaji, this movie is an interesting blend of a fantasy courtroom drama and a mass superhero entertainer. The story follows a man with divine powers who navigates a corrupt judicial system. While the first half stays grounded as a hard-hitting take on the legal system in a lower court, the second half switches into what critics are calling God mode, where the protagonist uses supernatural elements to take on his enemies.

The response at the ticket windows has been nothing short of phenomenal. Karuppu has managed to secure the 4th spot for peak hour sales on BookMyShow, which is quite a feat for a non-holiday release. During the peak hour of 1 pm to 2 pm today, the film sold over 40,450 tickets. This makes it only the 4th Tamil film ever to cross the 40K hourly sales mark on the platform, joining the ranks of blockbusters like Leo, Coolie, and Jailer. From 6 am to 2 pm, the movie has already sold a total of 1,92,070 tickets on BookMyShow, proving that the fan excitement is at an all-time high.

Critical reception has been generally positive, with most reviews falling between 3.25 and 4 out of 5. The leading star is being praised for fitting the title role perfectly, especially in how the character controls his rage in the beginning and goes full blast towards the end. The supporting cast, playing roles ranging from a wily, unscrupulous lawyer to an upright legal professional, have also been noted for their strong performances. The courtroom drama is said to have a neat emotional angle that keeps the audience hooked throughout the first half.

The film is being described as a proper theatrical mass entertainer that is best enjoyed with an energetic crowd and loud celebrations. The first half provides a good emotional connect, while the climax is packed with whistle-worthy moments and a superb ending. Technically, the background score is receiving praise for elevating the emotional and mass sequences, and the visuals involving the fantasy elements are reportedly well-executed. While some felt the songs were average, the overall technical package is being seen as a significant strength for the film.

Some observers pointed out that the second half lacks the tight grip of the first half and relies more on theatrical gimmicks and references to other major hit films. There is a specific one-liner and several popular culture references that have been included to add zest to the proceedings. While these moments worked well for many, some felt they were a bit of a departure from the earlier tone. Despite these minor critiques, the movie is being seen as a satisfying mass entertainer for families this summer. With such a massive start in ticket sales, the journey at the box office is off to a very promising start.

With its massive ticket sales and the generally positive word-of-mouth, Karuppu is well on its way to becoming a significant box office success. The combination of Suriya's intense screen presence and the fantasy-mythological elements involving Karuppu Saamy seems to have struck the right chord. It remains to be seen how the movie holds up over the weekend, but for now, it is safe to say that the God mode has officially begun at the theaters.

Take a look at what critics have to say about the film

#Karuppu Review : Fantasy courtroom drama with mass superhero elements.

My Rating : 3.25/5

A pucca commercial movie packaged with lots of theatrical elevation scenes by @RJ_Balaji.

First half is whacky and hooks you as it a hard -hitting take on how the judiciary functions… pic.twitter.com/7PlWwRirzT

— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) May 15, 2026

#Karuppu is a ‘God Mode’ Mass Fantasy film, made with many enjoyable theatrical moments. A courtroom drama with good emotional connect. As God #Karuppu #Suriya sir is fabulous. Fully loaded and mass mode, especially the climax sequence. Loved it. He rocked. An engaging watch 🏆… pic.twitter.com/V2xDIagGo5

— G Dhananjheyan (@Dhananjayang) May 15, 2026

#Karuppu [4/5] : BLOCKBUSTER 🔥

A Mass Fantasy Entertainer!

It's @Suriya_offl show all the way!

Looks into how dysfunctional our court system is..@Suriya_offl has catered to both fans and general audience.. Jus one word - GOD MODE! 🙏 @RJ_Balaji as corrupt lawyer Baby…

— Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) May 15, 2026

#KARUPPU First Half Review 🍿

- An Entertaining Show So Far with a Neat Emotional Angle from #RjBalaji..👌
- #Suriya's Entry and his Screen Presence was Terrific..🤩💥 Man Looks Semma on Screen..🤝
- #SaiAbhyankkar's BGM was Superb..👌 Elevates the Emotional and Mass Scenes… pic.twitter.com/AIxKJE1Mxq

— Laxmi Kanth (@iammoviebuff007) May 15, 2026

#Karuppu - 3.75 stars. A highly entertaining, high voltage commercial entertainer from @Suriya_offl after a long time. The kind of film that works across the board and proves all those wrong who doubted @RJ_Balaji’s capabilities in handling a star and a project of this scale.… pic.twitter.com/NE9wTcowhP

— Haricharan Pudipeddi (@pudiharicharan) May 15, 2026

#Karuppu [#ABRatings - 4.25/5]

- Action & Emotional First half followed by a Commercial second half with many high moments & references 👌
- Suriya as Karuppasamy carried the role extraordinary with his screen presence👏
- RJBalaji's precise Writing & SaiAbhyankkar's BGM… pic.twitter.com/xCj9bMmwgp

— AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) May 15, 2026