Atlee Aims to Bring Vijay Sethupathi’s ‘Baththa’ to the Oscars, Plans Tamil‑Language Speech

Filmmaker Atlee announced that he wants his Vijay Sethupathi‑headlined movie Baththa to be considered for the Oscars and that he will speak in Tamil if he steps onto the Academy stage. He made the remark at the film’s success meet on Saturday, linking the goal to his own unlikely journey of working with big names like Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay Anna. Atlee said people would have mocked him in school for such dreams, but he proved them wrong and now wants to feel what it’s like to be on the Oscar podium. He insisted that the language of any future speech will be Tamil, rejecting English outright. “Hollywood is a small place, and we can go there easily,” he added. Turning to his next project, the action drama Raaka starring Allu Arjun, Atlee highlighted the reaction of overseas crew members to the music of young composer Sai Abhyankkar. International musicians present in a London studio – the same space used by Hans Zimmer and Ludwig Göransson – reportedly asked, “Yaarra ivan?” after hearing Sai’s work. Atlee defended Sai against online claims of nepotism, stating that the composer did not rely on family connections and will make Tamil audiences proud. Baththa, directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan, is set in 1986 Madras and follows a feared gangster who gets locked inside a school toilet by an eight‑year‑old boy. Vijay Sethupathi plays the title role, child actor Sai appears as the boy, and Lijomol Jose portrays the gangster’s wife. Supporting actors include Ajay Ghosh, Arjun Chidambaram, Santhy Balachandran and Hari Krishnan. The film is presented by Atlee and co‑produced by A For Apple Studios and Cine1 Studios, with Murad Khetani, Priya Atlee, Alok Jain and Ajit Andhare as producers.

Context

Atlee’s push reflects a growing desire among South Indian filmmakers to showcase regional stories on global platforms, while his support for Sai underscores a broader push to highlight young Indian talent in international music production.