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Star Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Prithviraj, Lijomol Jose, Santhy Balachandra
Director: Balaji Tharaneetharan
What’s Good: Performances, Music, Story
What’s Bad: Nothing Much!
Loo Break: Anytime
Watch or Not?: Watch
Language: Tamil
Available On: Netflix
Runtime: 156 Minutes
User Rating:
You may have seen many gangster dramas across languages. Baththa is also a gangster drama, but one with a heart. Vijay Sethupathi plays the titular role of Baththa, a local, affluent goon. However, when his paths cross with a young boy, his life changes drastically.
Over time, we humans forget who we truly are and assume roles imposed by society. In the rush, there isn’t much time for reflection on who we truly are and what we want to become. But what happens when life forces you to pause and reflect? Vijay Sethupathi’s Baththa gets that chance, and he surprises everyone with who he truly becomes.
Baththa Movie Review: Script Analysis
Baththa marks director Balaji Tharaneetharan’s first directorial venture in eight years. The film follows the story of a dreaded don, Baththa, who is portrayed as a monster. He is always angry and resorts to violence at the slightest irritation. On the other hand, we have eight-year-old Sabari, who lives with his sweet and loving parents.
One day, Sabari visits the beach with his parents. There, he gets attracted to a mechanical toy and cries until his parents buy it for him. He carries it around everywhere, including during his school examination. However, his teacher confiscates it after catching him playing with it during the exam.
This eight-year-old’s obsession with his toy and Baththa’s secret eventually led to the two crossing paths, changing one of their lives for good. When Sabari goes back to school during the holidays to get his toy back from the staff room, he accidentally locks Baththa in the bathroom. He tries to get him out, but remembers how scary Baththa is and fears becoming a victim of his wrath. What follows is Sabari trying to salvage the situation while Baththa remains locked in the bathroom for eight whole days.
How does Baththa free himself from the bathroom? What happens afterward? Does he find out that Sabari locked him up? More importantly, what was he doing at the school after hours? All these questions are answered in the second half of the film.
Baththa Movie Review: Star Performance
The film has two primary actors: Vijay Sethupathi as Baththa and Master Sai Prithviraj as Sabari. Vijay Sethupathi is a brilliant talent and effortlessly blends his gangster aura with comic timing. He easily switches between being a terrifying gangster and a heartwarming human bear.
Sai Prithviraj as Sabari is the heart of this film. His fear of Baththa, along with his childhood innocence, is beautifully articulated through his expressions. He has very little dialogue for most of the film and has to express himself through facial expressions. The little child’s chemistry with Baththa, as the film progresses, is the most endearing part of the film.
Lijomol Jose plays Baththa’s wife, Kannima, in the film. She plays a woman deeply in love with Baththa despite his physical abuse towards her. Because of this side of Baththa, it is very difficult to side with him, but the film forces you to consider his perspective. Santhy Balachandra, as Sabari’s mother, also does her job quite well.
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Baththa Movie Review: Direction, Music
Director Balaji Tharaneetharan made his directorial debut with the Tamil comedy Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, which also starred Vijay Sethupathi. Their reunion has resulted in another comedy-drama that is both entertaining and heartfelt.
The first half focuses on establishing who Baththa is. The first time we see him is through Sabari’s eyes. On his way to school, Sabari witnesses Baththa beating up a man named Jyothi. He continues even as Jyothi’s wife begs and pleads with him to let her husband go. Instead, Baththa pushes her aside and continues beating Jyothi. Sabari is horrified by this sight. He then learns from his friend at school about Baththa’s horrific acts of violence. This makes him even more terrified of the gangster, to the point where he is frightened by his mere presence. So, naturally, when he accidentally locks Baththa in the bathroom, he lacks the courage to free him.
During these eight days, Baththa begins to reflect on himself and appreciate his wife, whom he has physically abused without any remorse until then. These eight days change him. The second half follows Baththa’s redemption with Sabari’s help and takes us on quite a musical journey. The story particularly shows how, through a child’s innocence, Baththa is able to rediscover his childhood dreams.
Sai Abhyankkar has composed the music for the film. It is quite distinctive, especially in the first half. The music does not stick to a serious gangster tone; rather, it stays somewhere between comedy and intensity. The second half takes a more melodic approach without becoming overly sentimental, and that works quite well.
Baththa Movie Review: The Last Word
Baththa is more than just another gangster drama. It is a heartfelt story about redemption, childhood innocence, and the possibility of change. Vijay Sethupathi’s effortless performance and Sai Prithviraj’s endearing portrayal of Sabari are the film’s biggest strengths. While Baththa’s violent past makes it difficult to sympathize with him at first, the film gradually encourages us to look beyond the monster he has become and to understand the human being beneath. Balaji Tharaneetharan uses humor, music, and an unlikely bond between a gangster and a child to tell a story that is both entertaining and moving. Ultimately, Baththa reminds us that sometimes all it takes is a little innocence to help someone rediscover who they were meant to be.
Baththa Trailer
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