Meet RJ Balaji: The voice of the viewer in Tamil cricket commentary, now helming Suriya’s ‘Karuppu’

RJ Balaji discusses Tamil cricket commentary, connecting with everyday fans and directing Suriya’s upcoming film ‘Karuppu’.

Balaji sits at the cross-section of pop culture, films and cricket.

As a leading radio jockey-turned-actor-turned-director, he is steeped in Tamil cinema references.

As an enthusiastic sportsman, having played cricket for a local team called Venus 11 when he was a child, he understands Chennai’s street-cricket culture.

This is reflected when he sits on the commentary panel of Star Sports Tamil. His vibrant delivery represents the ebb and flow of a viewer’s mind during the course of a thrilling match; it is a big change from the more demure rhythm associated with English cricket commentary over the decades.

During the recent T20 World Cup, which India won, and the upcoming IPL, Balaji makes a grand comeback to Tamil commentary after a gap of two years – during which he was directing his upcoming film, Karuppu, starring Suriya and Trisha. “I realised how much I missed this medium. A shooting spot is usually very stressful as it involves managing a big team of people and comes with the responsibility of helming big stars. My absolute mad energy was at its peak when I used to host my radio show and now, it is during cricket commentary. It’s a strong spiritual connection between live media and me,” says Balaji.

RJ Balaji (R) with cinematographer G.K. Vishnu (L) | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement