Actor Vijay Sethupathi will soon be seen playing a septuagenarian in the film Seethakathi, his 25th as a hero. Contrary to what the name may suggest, the film has nothing to do with the 17th-century philanthropist Seethakathi; instead, it’s about a theatre artiste.
Talking about the project, director Balaji Tharaneetharan says, “A few years ago, I watched a Tamil play and there was hardly anyone in the audience. Speaking to people backstage made me nostalgic and took me back 25 years, to a time when I was a child and plays were popular. The artistes were so passionate about continuing their work, that it got me thinking. What will happen to the art after this generation of actors? Theatre has become a dying art because there are so few takers. That’s when I decided to make a film about it, as cinema has a mass appeal and a wide reach. Vijay Sethupathi helms the cast as Ayya, and I hope the film has a great impact.”
“It is not an art film, and I am not being judgmental. It’s a fun-filled entertainer with humour embedded in the script. It not only talks about the art of theatre but also the life of a stage performer,” the director adds of the film that references plays written by Indira Parthasarathy, Suradha and Sujatha.
The role of Ayya’s wife is played by Archana, whom Balaji calls a “strong performer”.
And the cast also includes several theatre performers. Apart from Remya Nambeesan, Parvathy Nair, Gayathri, Bhagyaraj, and Bharathiraja, who appear as themselves, directors Mouli and Mahendran also play crucial roles in the film.
