Bhaththa Movie Review: Vijay Sethupathi’s Gangster Avatar Wins Hearts with Emotion – Rating: 3/5

Movie review Movie review

Posted by kumar on 07-Oct-2026 |

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 22

---

                    Vijay Sethupathi is known for picking roles that are different from the usual commercial template. With Bhaththa, he teams up once again with director Balaji Tharaneetharan, who previously worked with him on Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and Seethakaathi. Set in 1986 Madras, the film tells a gangster story with more focus on emotions and relationships than violence.

The story follows Bhaththa, a local don who gets accidentally trapped inside an old school bathroom by an eight-year-old boy. What starts as a strange and amusing situation slowly turns into an unexpected bond between the two. That relationship becomes the heart of the story and brings a different side of Bhaththa to the screen.

The film does not try to present its gangster as an unstoppable hero. Instead, director Balaji Tharaneetharan spends more time showing his fears, weaknesses and emotions. The scenes involving Bhaththa and the young boy are handled with warmth and also bring some enjoyable moments.

Vijay Sethupathi is in good form here. He keeps the performance controlled and natural, whether the character is angry, frightened or slowly becoming attached to the boy. His body language and dialogue delivery also fit the period setting nicely.

The young actor who plays the boy is another pleasant surprise. His scenes with Vijay Sethupathi work well and give the film much of its emotional weight. Lijomol Jose, Sanchi Balachandran, Vishnu Govindan and Arjun Chidambaram also do justice to their supporting roles.

The 1980s setting is one of the film\'s noticeable positives. Selvakumar S.K.\'s cinematography gives the film the right period feel, while T. Muthuraj\'s production design does a good job recreating the streets and surroundings of that era. Sai Abhyankar\'s music also adds to the retro mood.

The main issue is the runtime. At close to two hours and forty minutes, the film feels a little stretched, especially in the middle portion. Some conversations and scenes could have been trimmed to make the second half move faster.

Balaji Tharaneetharan keeps the focus on the characters instead of filling the film with routine gangster action. That approach may not satisfy viewers looking for a fast-paced commercial entertainer, but it works well for those who enjoy slow-burn stories built around emotions and performances.

Final Word: Bhaththa is a different kind of gangster drama, with Vijay Sethupathi\'s performance and the touching bond between the gangster and the child making it worth a watch.