He’s not just an actor, he’s a genre of his own, popularly known as Makkal Selvan (Fan’s Treasure) “Na enna Nadichalum, Naa Vijay Sethupathi dhaan”. His love and passion for cinema have pushed him from minor roles to the mainstream commercial actor. He built his career out of pure blood, sweat, and tears. So, let’s discuss his top 7 films to binge!
1. Super Deluxe (2019)
In Super Deluxe, Sethupati’s portrayal of trans-woman has won him National Film Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His emotional arc as a struggling father, protecting his identity from society, is commendable. Also have an ensemble cast of Fahadh Fassil, Samantha, & Ramya Krishna in four different yet intertwined stories giving life lessons. Streaming Partner: Aha, Apple TV
IMDb: 8.2/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 83% My Rating: 5/5
2. Maharaja (2024)
Maharaja gives a powerful showdown between star actors Vijay Sethupathi & Anurag Kashyap as an antagonist. The film revolves around a barber who seeks police help to find his “Laxmi”, lost in a burglary. But actually is his vengeful quest to find and kill all the perpetrators of his sorrow. It tells that “Karma: What you sow, you reap”. Must-watch!!! Streaming Partner: Netflix
IMDb: 8.4/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 83% My Rating: 5/5
3. 96 (2018)
Ram and Janu are former lovers from the school batch of 1996. After twenty-two years of their graduation, Janu is a happy mother, & Ram is a wildlife photographer. They meet in the reunion and spend time together reminiscing about every memory, and realising they still love each other and it’s eternal. Of course, with a very, very sad ending. Trisha and Sethupathi’s chemistry, music, script, & everything make it a legendary film. Streaming Partner: Prime Video, Aha, SonyLiv
IMDb: 8.5/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 100% My Rating: 5/5
4. Vikram (2022)
Kamal Hassan’s strong comeback as Vikram, a rogue agent with a personal vendetta, fires against illegal drug enforcement. While Vijay is an unbeatable nemesis, Sandhanam local Pablo Escobar, who distributes the raw drug shipments around Chennai. His acting as a fearless psycho, supported by powerful background music, gives us the best combo. Streaming Partner: Amazon Prime, JioHotstar
IMDb: 8.3/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 95% My Rating: 5/5
5. Nanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015)
Pandi is a wannabe gangster, forced by his SI mother to become a police officer. He falls in love with the deaf Kadhambari at first sight, and helps her evade her crisis. But the whole situation turns into vengeance, now he has to kill a real, ruthless rowdy to be with her. The film is a fun ride, the actors did very well, and the music album is super. This is quite an underrated film, I enjoy rewatching it every now and then!! Streaming Partner: Prime Video, Aha, YouTube
IMDb: 7.2/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 82% My Rating: 5/5
6. Vikram Vedha (2017)
Directed by Pushkar-Gayathri, this is an intense war-on-film between two classic Tamil actors, R. Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi. Vikram is a heated police officer determined to catch the gangster Vedha, but he voluntarily surrenders. He tells three scenarios and asks him to decide which one is moral and which one is the right thing. Do try this!!! Streaming Partner: Prime Video, Zee5, JioHotstar
IMDb: 8.2/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 91% My Rating: 4.8/5
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7. Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum (2016)
The movie tells of a special bond beyond love. After losing her IT job, Yazhini shifts into a low-rent room, where her neighbour Kathiravan is a former prisoner and street rowdy. Their regular meetings create an unusual friendship & support that has no boundaries. His acting in this film & plot are very underrated. So do try, you will not regret it! Streaming Partner: JioHotstar, Amazon Prime
IMDb: 7.4/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 85% My Rating: 4.8/5
Conclusion:
In today’s cinema, he is the only versatile actor who can convince the audience as a hero and villain movie by movie. He broke the norms of casualties and built a trademark that if it’s a Vijay Setupathi film, it’s a good watch nonetheless. Therefore, make it a special week and watch every film in this list, and you will never be the same.
Written by – Meghana Pinninti