Watch: Baththa Director On Its Magical Writing

Baththa director Balaji Tharaneetharan sat down with Gulte Pro’s Ram Venkat Srikar for an insightful conversation about the film, its writing, and the thought process behind some of its most interesting moments.

During the conversation, Balaji explained how the story took shape and why he wanted to give the lead character a meaningful journey. He said the film was developed organically, with several ideas being explored before he found the right reason for Baththa to enter the school.

The director revealed that finding a convincing answer to this key question took him a long time. He rejected several ideas because they did not feel right for the character. Once he found the answer, he began working on the detailed script and made multiple changes to bring the story together.

Balaji also spoke about the importance of the family angle in the film. He said Vijay Sethupathi, who liked the story, asked him not to lose focus on the character’s relationship with his family. This led to more scenes showing the bond between Baththa, his wife, and his child.

The filmmaker believes that Baththa was not entirely a bad person from the beginning. Instead, he had forgotten his innocence and wanted others to fear him.

The director also explained how the little boy becomes the key to Baththa’s emotional journey. The child’s innocence slowly brings out the softer side of a man who has spent years hiding his true self behind anger and arrogance. Balaji said the boy gives Baththa something he has wanted since childhood, making their relationship central to the film’s emotional climax.

Balaji also discussed how small details, including the tomato chutney and rusk scenes, serve a purpose beyond humour. While these moments make audiences laugh, they also reveal the character’s pain and help build suspense later in the film.

The director said he saw Baththa as a crowd pleasing film with strong emotional appeal. He also spoke about Vijay Sethupathi’s willingness to embrace the character’s vulnerable side, adding that the actor’s performance helped bring the story to life.