2026 · Film
Baththa
Vijay Sethupathi plays a feared 1980s Madras gangster who is accidentally locked in a school toilet by a timid boy, in Balaji Tharaneetharan's Tamil comedy-drama.
Released Thu, 29 Oct, 2026
Checked by Movie Mandala, Sat, 7 Nov, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 7 November 2026, Baththa is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Checked Sat, 7 Nov, 2026Open ↗
The story
In 1986 Madras, Baththa is the local gangster everyone fears, and young Sabari is more scared of him than anyone. On the first day of the summer holidays, Sabari sneaks into his empty school to retrieve a confiscated toy and, without realising who is inside, locks someone in the bathroom. The voice behind the door belongs to Baththa. Too terrified to open it and too guilty to walk away, the boy starts secretly feeding his captive, and an unlikely bond begins.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
Good for families with older children and for viewers who enjoy gentle period comedies with heart. Netflix rates it U/A 13+; there is some gangster violence and the runtime is over two and a half hours.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Baththa reunites Vijay Sethupathi with writer-director Balaji Tharaneetharan after Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (2012) and Seethakaathi (2018). Atlee's A for Apple Studios produced it with Cine1 Studios and Star Studio18. It was announced on 12 August 2026 with filming already complete; North Madras of the 1980s was recreated on sets, and Sai Abhyankkar composed the music. Master Sai Prithviraj plays Sabari and Lijomol Jose plays Baththa's wife.
The film opened in theatres on 1 October 2026. Wikipedia describes it as a critically acclaimed sleeper hit, with an estimated gross of about ₹33 crore against a ₹28 crore budget. It began streaming on Netflix on 29 October 2026, with Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam audio alongside the original Tamil.
The facts
- Language
- Tamil
- Hindi
- Hindi dub available
- Genre
- Period comedy-drama
- Runtime
- 158 min
- Certificate
- U/A 13+ (Netflix rating)
- Director
- Balaji Tharaneetharan
- Cast
- Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Prithviraj, Lijomol Jose, Santhy Balachandran, Hari Krishnan
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Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Baththa in India?
- As of 7 November 2026, Baththa is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Is Baththa available in Hindi?
- Yes. Baththa was made in Tamil, and a Hindi-dubbed version is available on Netflix.
- Is Baththa suitable for children?
- Baththa has a CBFC U/A 13+ (Netflix rating) certificate.
- How long is Baththa?
- Baththa runs for 2 hours 38 minutes (158 minutes).