Actor Karthi, who enjoys a strong fan following in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, has spoken about the mixed theatrical response to his film 'Meiyazhagan', which was released last year. While the film did not perform as expected in Tamil Nadu theatres, it found wider appreciation among audiences in other regions and later gained strong traction on OTT platforms.

Speaking at the promotion of his upcoming film 'Vaa Vaathiyaar', Karthi said 'Meiyazhagan' received an encouraging response outside Tamil Nadu, particularly from Telugu and Malayalam audiences. He expressed disappointment that a film rooted in Tamil culture failed to connect strongly with viewers in the state.

“A film made on Tamil culture could not shine in Tamil Nadu. That is something we cannot accept,” Karthi said, adding that director Prem Kumar holds no resentment towards Tamil audiences. However, the actor criticised certain YouTube reviewers, alleging that they unfairly criticised the film without understanding its emotional core.

“Prem is only upset with some YouTubers who tried to tear the film apart without understanding its soul,” Karthi said.

The actor also described 'Meiyazhagan' as a deeply fulfilling project, stating that such emotionally resonant stories and characters come rarely in an actor’s career.

Karthi was addressing the media during the promotional event for 'Vaa Vaathiyaar', which was initially scheduled for release on December 12. The film’s release has since been postponed due to undisclosed reasons, and the makers are yet to announce a new release date.