Atlee wants Baththa at the Oscars with a Tamil speech

The team behind Baththa gathered for a success meet that turned into a wider conversation about talent, trust and Tamil cinema’s global ambitions. Actor Vijay Sethupathi, producer-director Atlee and composer Sai Abhyankkar each added a piece to the story of how the film came together and where it could go next.

How Sai Abhyankkar got the music job

Sai Abhyankkar said director Balaji Tharaneetharan initially had another composer in mind. Atlee was the one who opened the door for him on Baththa, and that chance changed the conversation around his work. Sai also recalled his first meeting with Atlee, when Atlee immediately said he wanted him to compose his next film Raaka. The offer surprised Sai because Raaka is a far bigger production.

After watching Baththa for the first time, Sai told Balaji that several performances in the film deserved National Award-level recognition.

Vijay Sethupathi on the response and the promotion

Vijay Sethupathi said the audience response made him extremely happy — so happy, he joked, that he was feeling the fever that usually visits him in such moments. He thanked viewers for their love on social media and gave Atlee credit for promoting the film on the ground. Atlee visited theatres and interacted with audiences directly, which Vijay Sethupathi believes helped take Baththa closer to viewers.

He also spoke about Balaji Tharaneetharan’s previous film not performing strongly at the box office. Atlee stepped in to produce Baththa and gave the director the support the project needed. Vijay Sethupathi made it clear he was stating business reality, not blaming anyone.

On his own performance, he pushed back gently on the idea that his acting is effortless. Every role, he said, demands significant hard work. He also praised Sai Abhyankkar, joking that the team may have called Vijay Sethupathi the hero but eventually made Sai the hero and turned him into the villain.

Atlee on confidence, nepo kids and an Oscar dream

Atlee responded to criticism of his attitude by saying his confidence comes from wanting to remain true to his people and deliver quality content. He pointed to the trust placed in him by Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Sethupathi and Thalapathy Vijay as evidence of the relationships he values.

When the conversation turned to Sai Abhyankkar, Atlee asked audiences not to reduce the composer to a “nepo kid” label. He described Sai as a God-gifted talent who has earned the recognition coming his way.

Finally, Atlee revealed a bigger ambition for Baththa: taking the film to the Oscars and making Tamil cinema proud on a global stage. If he gets the opportunity, he said, he will address the audience only in Tamil.

What this signals for Tamil cinema

• Atlee’s Oscar plan: he wants Baththa to reach the global stage and would speak only in Tamil there.
• Ground-level push: Vijay Sethupathi credited Atlee’s theatre visits for closing the distance with audiences.
• Defending Sai: Atlee rejected the “nepo kid” framing and called the composer a God-gifted talent.
• A future project: Atlee hopes to revive Marudhanayagam with Kamal Haasan and Vijay Sethupathi.

The event highlighted the faith in Balaji Tharaneetharan, the performances led by Vijay Sethupathi and the growing recognition for Sai Abhyankkar. It also framed Baththa as a film with something still to prove.

Source: Only Kollywood