Baththa OTT Release: Vijay Sethupathi’s Tamil Action-Comedy Finds A New Audience On Netflix

Vijay Sethupathi’s Baththa takes an unusual route into the world of gangsters. A feared criminal who is used to having everyone at his beck and call finds himself trapped inside a school toilet because of an eight-year-old boy. What begins as an absurd predicament develops into a story about human connections, buried emotions and a man forced to confront a side of himself he rarely reveals.

Baththa OTT release: When and where to watch

Baththa is now available to stream on Netflix. The film, originally made in Tamil, can be watched in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, with English subtitles.

Announcing the digital release on Thursday, Netflix wrote, “This gangster opened the wrong door. Watch Baththa, out now, on Netflix, in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam and explore the best of South films and series by searching “Southverse” on Netflix.”

The film arrived in theatres on October 1, 2026, before making its streaming debut on October 29.

Vijay Sethupathi’s gangster faces an unexpected predicament

Set in Madras in 1986, Baththa follows Baththavachalam, a gangster whose reputation rests on violence and fear. While he commands respect on the streets, his need for control strains his relationship with his wife and daughter.

His circumstances change when Sabari, a schoolboy dealing with his own childhood problems, accidentally locks him inside an empty school restroom. Separated from his men and the authority he usually wields, Baththa must wait for a way out.

Directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan, the film reunites the filmmaker with Sethupathi after Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and Seethakaathi. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, the director said, "He really liked the script. I find it very easy to speak to him. I've known him for a while, but his sensibilities are simple and never looks at anything as if he knows it so well. When he is reading through certain scenes, he'll still be like, 'Oh, I hope this works out well, and I'm able to do it.' We'd keep discussing the script and would keep thinking about his character."

Baththa cast, crew and box office

Sethupathi plays Baththavachalam, while Lijomol Jose portrays his wife, Kannima. Sai Prithviraj Raj plays Sabari. The supporting cast includes Baby Sahasra Sree, Santhy Balachandran, Hari Krishnan, Arjun Chidambaram and Ajay Ghosh, with Ramya Pandian appearing in a cameo.

Sai Abhyankkar composed the music and background score, with Selvakumar S. K. handling cinematography and R. Kalaivanan editing. The film reportedly earned ₹33.33 crore worldwide, according to Sacnilk, although the makers celebrated its reception at a success meet earlier in October.