Baththa Success Meet: Vijay Sethupathi, Atlee and Sai Abhyankkar celebrate the film’s success

The team of Baththa recently came together for the film’s success meet, celebrating the audience response to the Vijay Sethupathi-starrer. Music director Sai Abhyankkar, actor Vijay Sethupathi and director-producer Atlee shared their thoughts on the film’s journey and success.

Sai Abhyankkar spoke about how he came on board the project. He revealed that director Balaji Tharaneetharan initially had another composer in mind. However, Atlee gave him the opportunity to work on Baththa.

Sai also recalled his first meeting with Atlee. During their interaction, Atlee immediately expressed his interest in having Sai compose for his next film, Raaka. Sai admitted that he was surprised by the confidence Atlee showed in him, especially since Raaka is a much bigger project.

Speaking about the success of Baththa, Sai said the film holds a special place for him. After watching it for the first time, he told Balaji that the film had several performances worthy of National Award recognition.

Vijay Sethupathi, meanwhile, said the success of Baththa has made him extremely happy. He jokingly revealed that he usually gets a fever whenever he is extremely happy and said he was experiencing the same feeling after seeing the response to the film.

The actor also appreciated the love shown by audiences across social media platforms. He credited Atlee for actively promoting the film at the ground level and personally visiting theatres to interact with audiences. According to Vijay Sethupathi, such efforts have played an important role in taking the film closer to viewers.

Vijay Sethupathi also spoke about Balaji Tharaneetharan’s journey. He acknowledged that the director’s previous film did not perform strongly at the box office. However, Atlee stepped forward to produce Baththa and gave the project the backing it needed. Vijay Sethupathi stressed that he was simply stating the business reality and not blaming anyone.

The actor further addressed the appreciation he has received for his performance. While audiences often describe his acting as effortless, Vijay Sethupathi said every role demands significant hard work. He also praised Sai Abhyankkar for the love and recognition he has received, joking that the film’s team called him the hero but eventually made Vijay Sethupathi the villain and Sai the hero.

Atlee also opened up about the criticism he faces over his attitude. He said his confidence comes from wanting to remain true to his people and deliver quality content. He pointed to the trust placed in him by Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Sethupathi and Thalapathy Vijay as examples of the relationships he values in his career.

Atlee had special words of praise for Sai Abhyankkar as well. Addressing the criticism around the young composer’s background, he said Sai should not be viewed simply through the “nepo kid” label. Instead, Atlee described him as a God-gifted talent who deserves the recognition he is receiving for his musical abilities.

The filmmaker also revealed an ambitious dream for Baththa. Atlee said he wishes to take the film to the Oscars and make Tamil cinema proud on a global stage. He added that if he gets the opportunity to stand on the Oscar stage, he would speak only in Tamil.

Atlee also spoke openly about the body-shaming he has faced. He revealed that he had been approached to play the lead in four films but chose not to pursue those opportunities. Looking ahead, he expressed his desire to bring back Marudhanayagam with Kamal Haasan and Vijay Sethupathi.

With the team celebrating the film’s strong reception, the Baththa success meet reflected the appreciation surrounding the film and its journey. The event also highlighted the faith placed in Balaji Tharaneetharan, the performances led by Vijay Sethupathi and the growing recognition for Sai Abhyankkar.