Sethu(1999)
Sethu is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama tragedy film written and directed by Bala in his directorial debut. The film stars Vikram as the title character and Abitha as his love interest. The story follows Sethu, a violent college student who falls in love with a timid Brahmin girl, leading to a tragic chain of events. The film features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja and cinematography by R. Rathnavelu. Sethu won the National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film and became a sleeper hit after initially struggling to find a distributor. Vikram's physical transformation for the role, including losing 21 kilograms, earned widespread acclaim. The film was released on 10 December 1999 and is available for streaming on select platforms.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, Plex
- Theatrical Release
- 10 December 1999
- Director
- Bala
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 12m
- Rating
- 5.8/10
Storyline
Sethu is a violent college leader who falls in love with Abitha, a shy Brahmin girl. His aggressive nature and her rejection create conflict. After rescuing her sister from a brothel, Abitha accepts his love. But when Sethu is brutally attacked by goons and loses his mind, their love story takes a tragic turn.
“Love can heal. Love can destroy.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Sethu
Cast reunions in this film: Ilayaraja & Sivakumar (50 films together), Vikram & Ilayaraja (8 films together), Bala & Ilayaraja (4 films together), Bala & Rajashri (2 films together), Bala & R. Rathnavelu (2 films together), and M. Sasikumar & Ilayaraja (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film was originally titled 'Sethu' but was released as 'Sethu...' with ellipsis to avoid confusion with another film.
- Vikram lost over 20 kilograms for his role after the character's mental breakdown, drastically changing his appearance.
- Director Bala made his debut with this film, which later became a cult classic and launched the 'mad lover' trope in Tamil cinema.
- The film's climax was shot in a real mental asylum in Chennai to achieve authenticity.
- Composer Ilaiyaraaja recorded the song 'Chinna Chinna' in a single take with singer Swarnalatha, capturing its raw emotion.
- The movie was a surprise box office hit, running for over 100 days in theaters despite its dark theme.
- Vikram's intense performance earned him the nickname 'Chiyaan', which he later used as a prefix in his stage name.