Movie Details:
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
| Genre | Action, Drama, Romance |
| Release date | 10 December 1999 |
| Running time | 2hr 10min |
| Starring | Vikram Abitha |
| Directed by | Bala |
| Written by | Bala |
| Produced by | A. Kandasamy |
| Cinematography by | R. Rathnavelu |
| Edited by | Raghu Baabu |
| Music by | Ilaiyaraaja |
| Production Company | Sharmadha Productions |
| Distributor | Sharmasha Productions AP International Sun TV |
Cast & Characters:
- Vikram as Sethu a.k.a. Chiyaan
- Abitha as Abitha Kujalambal (voice dubbed by Savitha Reddy)
- Sivakumar as Vasudevan
- Sriman as Das
- Anju Mahendra as Sethu’s friend
- Sriram as Sriram
- Vijaya Bharathi (aka Bharathi) as Latha
- Lavanya as Kamakshi, Abitha’s sister
- Rasheed Ummer as Abitha’s brother-in-law
- Mohan Vaithya as Abitha’s uncle
- Manobala as Tamil Teacher
- Rajashree as Raji
- Hemalatha as Vasudevan’s daughter
- Kavitha Tinku as Abitha’s friend
- S. S. Raman as Abitha’s father
- Anwar Alikhan as Brothel goon
- Jyothi Lakshmi as the old lady dancer in “Gaana Karunkuyile” song
- Sasikumar as a college student (uncredited role)
- Ameer as a college student (uncredited role)
Storyline:
A violent youngster and a shy Brahmin girl fall in love but tragedy intervenes when the youngster is brain-damaged following a fight.
About Movie:
Sethu is a Tamil romantic drama film, written and directed by Bala in his directorial debut. The film stars Vikram and Abitha, with a score and soundtrack composed by Ilaiyaraaja and cinematography by R. Rathnavelu.
Released on December 10, 1999, Sethu initially screened as a single noon show in a suburban theater but gained popularity through word-of-mouth, eventually running for over 100 days in multiple theaters. The film became Vikram’s first breakthrough, earning him significant recognition. It is based on a real-life incident involving a friend of Bala, who fell in love, lost his mind, and ended up in a mental asylum.
Sethu received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film and the Best Film award at the Filmfare Awards and Cinema Express Awards. Both Bala and Vikram received accolades for their contributions to the film.
The film’s success led to several remakes, including Huchcha in Kannada, Seshu in Telugu, and Tere Naam in Hindi. The story revolves around Sethu, a college rowdy who falls in love with a timid girl, leading to a tragic sequence of events that ultimately results in his mental breakdown and subsequent struggles. The film’s emotional depth and Vikram’s performance are often highlighted as key factors in its lasting impact on Tamil cinema.
