Karthi-starrer Japan was released in theatres in 2023 and received negative reviews from critics, eventually failing at the box office. Almost three years after its release, the film’s director, Raju Murugan, has finally broken his silence on the movie.
Raju Murugan on Karthi’s Japan failure
In a conversation with Sudhir Srinivasan, director Raju Murugan admitted that the film’s failure was entirely his responsibility and also revealed that he had initially wanted to make it as a web series.
The director said, “Every movie we make starts with great belief. However, during the process, something happens that leaves it undercooked. Something went wrong while cooking in Japan. I must add that Karthi sir was always with me while making the film. He was very supportive as an artist and wholeheartedly agreed to experiment.”
He further added, “When he came on board, I was the one who had thoughts of adding more elements. Initially, I wanted to make the project an eight-episode web series. The producers read the story and suggested that we make it as a film instead, and that is how it became a film script.”
Concluding his statement, the filmmaker reiterated that the film’s failure was his fault, saying, “I say this repeatedly, Japan is completely Raju Murugan’s fault. I don’t blame anyone else. I wanted to make something else, but during the process, I couldn’t make it the way I intended, and that was my fault.”
For those unaware, Japan is a heist action comedy starring Karthi in the lead role. The film follows the story of Japan Muni, a thief who steals jewels and uses his fortune. However, as his deeds catch up with him, the man, who is also revealed to be dying from a fatal disease, gets into a cat-and-mouse chase with the police, leading to utter chaos.
Apart from Karthi, the film also stars Anu Emmanuel, Sunil, Vagai Chandrasekhar, KS Ravikumar, Jithan Ramesh, and others in key roles. The movie is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
Karthi’s upcoming film
Karthi is next set to hit the big screens with his spy action thriller Sardar 2. Directed by PS Mithran, the film features SJ Suryah and Malavika Mohanan as co-leads and is expected to release in the summer this year.
Additionally, the actor is currently shooting for his upcoming film Marshal, in which he co-stars with Kalyani Priyadarshan.
