Baththa Review: Vijay Sethupathi’s Odd-Couple Turn

An odd-couple gangster story, set in 1986

Vijay Sethupathi and filmmaker Balaji Tharaneetharan are back for Baththa, their third collaboration after Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and Seethakaathi. Set in Madras in 1986, the film puts Sethupathi in the role of Baththa, a local gangster who has built his identity on being feared, both on the street and inside his own home.

The story shifts when Baththa has an unexpected encounter with Sabari, a schoolboy played by Sai Prithviraj. Instead of introducing a bigger, more dangerous rival, the screenplay pairs the gangster with a child whose innocence quietly dismantles the idea that intimidation works everywhere. That pairing is the engine of the film.

The Sethupathi-Sai Prithviraj pairing carries the film

The relationship between Baththa and Sabari is the most effective narrative choice. Their contrasting temperaments create space for comedy, especially when Baththa realises that his usual tools of fear and authority have no effect on the boy. The film lets their exchanges grow naturally, so the humour feels rooted in character rather than forced by the screenplay.

Sethupathi brings bluster, comic timing and a petulant streak to a gangster whose demand for respect keeps exposing his own insecurities. Sai Prithviraj gives Sabari enough personality to avoid becoming a passive device. Lijomol Jose, Sahasra Sree, Santhy Balachandran and Hari Krishnan round out the domestic world around them.

• Vijay Sethupathi gives Baththa the bluster and comic timing the role needs.
• Sai Prithviraj makes Sabari a real counterpart, not just a lesson in innocence.
• 1980s Madras adds period detail that grounds the odd-couple comedy.

1980s Madras as texture, not mere nostalgia

The period setting is a real asset. The production design, costumes and everyday details recreate 1980s Madras with enough specificity to give the story a sense of place. Rather than leaning on nostalgia as decoration, the setting supports a narrative shaped by local relationships and personal history.

Where the redemption arc loses its grip

For all its warmth, Baththa struggles to reconcile the protagonist’s change of heart with the consequences of his earlier cruelty. The film establishes his aggression toward those closest to him, but the shift from cruelty to compassion can feel more straightforward than his history deserves. A genuine change of heart is one thing; rebuilding trust with the people who have lived through his anger is another. The screenplay could have given the supporting characters more room to respond to that transformation.

The pacing also becomes uneven near the climax, and the jumps between broad comedy and earnest drama can feel abrupt. Some moments linger past their natural endpoint, and a more restrained edit might have helped the emotional beats land with greater conviction.

Should you watch it?

Baththa is a warm, engaging period drama elevated by the Sethupathi-Tharaneetharan partnership. It may not fully resolve its redemption arc, but the film finds enough humour and humanity in the gangster’s unlikely friendship with a schoolboy to make the journey worthwhile. For fans of character-driven Tamil cinema, the central pairing is the reason to show up.

Source: Filmfare