Vijay Sethupathi's period action drama 'Baththa' releases in theatres worldwide today, October 1, marking director Balaji Tharaneetharan's return to the big screen after eight years.
The film is Balaji's third collaboration with Vijay Sethupathi after 'Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom' and 'Seethakaathi'. Lijomol Jose, known for 'Jai Bhim', plays the female lead, with a supporting cast that includes Harikrishnan, Shanthi Balachandran, Arjun Chidambaram, Ajay Ghosh and Deepa Venkat. The project is presented by Atlee.
A drama about a gangster, not a gangster film
Set in North Madras in the 1980s, 'Baththa' follows a feared local rowdy, but Balaji says it is not a typical action outing. In an interview with The Hindu ahead of the release, the director described it as "a drama about the human being within this don", drawing on people and incidents he witnessed growing up in Triplicane. He also wanted to move away from the usual depiction of North Madras, recreating outer neighbourhoods like Old Kaladipet instead of the areas near the shore. The film's trailer leans on that contrast too, showing Sethupathi's Baththa as both a dreaded street figure and an emotional father, with a prison sequence hinting at a troubled past.
Music and technical crew
The score is composed by Sai Abhyankkar, with the first single 'Magale' — an emotional track on a father's bond with his daughter, sung by the composer with lyrics by Karthik Netha — releasing last month. Cinematography is by Selva Kumar SK, with art director T. Muthuraj shaping the film's period look.
'Baththa' arrives on a crowded day for Indian cinema: Malayalam film 'Avaraachan & Sons' and the Tamil psychological thriller 'Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai' also open in theatres on October 1, according to release listings.
Sources: The Hindu | The Times of India
The film is Balaji's third collaboration with Vijay Sethupathi after 'Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom' and 'Seethakaathi'. Lijomol Jose, known for 'Jai Bhim', plays the female lead, with a supporting cast that includes Harikrishnan, Shanthi Balachandran, Arjun Chidambaram, Ajay Ghosh and Deepa Venkat. The project is presented by Atlee.
A drama about a gangster, not a gangster film
Set in North Madras in the 1980s, 'Baththa' follows a feared local rowdy, but Balaji says it is not a typical action outing. In an interview with The Hindu ahead of the release, the director described it as "a drama about the human being within this don", drawing on people and incidents he witnessed growing up in Triplicane. He also wanted to move away from the usual depiction of North Madras, recreating outer neighbourhoods like Old Kaladipet instead of the areas near the shore. The film's trailer leans on that contrast too, showing Sethupathi's Baththa as both a dreaded street figure and an emotional father, with a prison sequence hinting at a troubled past.
Music and technical crew
The score is composed by Sai Abhyankkar, with the first single 'Magale' — an emotional track on a father's bond with his daughter, sung by the composer with lyrics by Karthik Netha — releasing last month. Cinematography is by Selva Kumar SK, with art director T. Muthuraj shaping the film's period look.
'Baththa' arrives on a crowded day for Indian cinema: Malayalam film 'Avaraachan & Sons' and the Tamil psychological thriller 'Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai' also open in theatres on October 1, according to release listings.
Sources: The Hindu | The Times of India
