Vijaya Gurunatha Sethupathi (born 16 January 1978), known as Vijay Sethupathi, is an Indian film actor, producer, lyricist, and dialogue writer who stars in Tamil films.

Following a stint as an accountant, Sethupathi began considering an acting career. He started his film career working as abackground actor, playing minor supporting roles for over five years, before playing his first lead role in Seenu Ramasamy'sThenmerku Paruvakaatru (2010).He went on to play the villain role in Sundarapandian (2012), and got his breakout roles with the films Pizza (2012) and Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (2012). He continued to star in successful films such asSoodhu Kavvum (2013), Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara (2013), Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (2014), Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015), Sethupathi (2016), Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum (2016) ,Dharma Durai (2016) and Aandavan Kattalai (2016 film) all of which earned critical and commercial success, and turned Vijay Sethupathi into a popular "indie-film star" in Tamil cinema.
Early life

Vijaya Gurunatha Sethupathi was born in Rajapalayam, Virudhunagar District, grew up in Rajapalayam until he moved to Chennai in class six. He attended the MGR Higher Secondary School in Kodambakkam.According to Sethupathi, he was a "below-average student right from school" and was neither interested in sports nor extra-curricular activities.

Sethupathi did a series of odd jobs for pocket money: Salesman at a retail store, cashier at a fast food joint and a phone booth operator.He graduated with a B.Com degree from the Dhanraj Baid (D.B.) Jain College in Thoraipakam. A week after he finished college, he joined as an account assistant at a wholesale cement business. He had to take care of three siblings and moved to Dubai, U.A.E as an accountant only because it paid him four times more than what he was making in India. In those two years in Dubai, he fell in love with Jessie whom he met online and married her in 2003.

Unhappy with his job, he returned to India in 2003. After a brief stint in the interior decoration business with friends, he joined a marketing company that dealt with readymade kitchens when he saw Koothupattarai’s poster. He recalls that once Balu Mahendra remarked that he had a "very photogenic face", and motivated him to pursue an acting career.

Film career

2004–11

He subsequently joined the Chennai-based theatre group Koothu-P-Pattarai as an accountant and actor where he observed actors from close quarters. He made his beginnings as a background actor, particularly playing the role of the lead character's friend in a few films Besides he acted in television series, including the well-known series Penn that began in March 2006,as well as several short films as part of the television show Nalaya Iyakunar for Kalaignar TV. He worked with Karthik Subbarajon many short films, who later cast him in his first feature film, subsequently yield him the Best Actor award for one of his films at the Norway Tamil Film Festival short film competition.

Sethupathi accompanied a group of actors who went to director Selvaraghavan's studio to audition for his gangster film Pudhupettai (2006) and was selected to playDhanush's friend in the film. Following Pudhupettai, he was associated with a Tamil-Kannada bilingual film called Akhaada. While he was selected to play the lead in the Tamil version, the director offered him the antagonistic role in its Kannada version. However, the film did not see a theatrical release. After making an appearance in Prabu Solomon's Lee (2007), he was cast by director Suseenthiran in minor supporting roles in his first two projects, Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu (2009) and Naan Mahaan Alla (2010). Sethupathi would later credit Suseenthiran with having had an "important role in helping him realise his dreams". Suseenthiran, furthermore, recommended Sethupathi to director Seenu Ramasamy and Sethupathi landed his first lead role in Ramasamy's drama film Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (2011), in which he portrayed ashepherd., the film went on to win three National Film Awards including the prize for the Best Tamil Feature Film of that year.

2012–13

2012 marked a turning point in Vijay Sethupathi's career; all his three releases were critical and commercial successes, resulting in a rise in his popularity. He was first seen in a negative role in Sundarapandian which featured M. Sasikumar in the lead role, and then played the lead roles in the directorial debuts of Karthik Subbaraj and Balaji Tharaneetharan, the thriller film Pizza and the comedy entertainer Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, respectively. He enacted the role of Michael, a delivery boy in the former and a young man named Prem who sustains short-term memory loss two days before his marriage in the latter, with his performance in both films being praised by critics. Malini Mannath from The New Indian Express in her review of Pizza wrote: "Sethupathy, a delight to watch, carries the entire film on his shoulders. His voice perfectly modulated, he proves his versatility and acumen to handle any role. Michael’s nightmarish experience, and his fear and horror when he’s trapped in the mansion, is perfectly conveyed by the actor". With regard to Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, The Times of India reviewer M. Suganth cited that Sethupathy "continues his superb show from Pizza conveying Prem's peculiar condition with vacant stares and amusing pauses between his lines", further noting: "That he never makes the character's repetitive dialogues irritating is a proof of his terrific timing". According to a survey published by BBC Tamil, Pizza and Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom claimed the first two spots in a Best Films list, and both films competed at the 2013 Norway Tamil Film Festival, while Sethupathi won two awards, one for each film, at the Edison Awards and the Big FM Tamil Entertainment Awards.By the end of the year, Indiaglitz.com named Sethupathi as one of 2012's best Tamil actors, and called him "the rising star of Kollywood". whilst film critic Baradwaj Rangan stated that Sethupathi had become "[...] sort of [an] indie-film star, the first ever in Tamil cinema".

In 2013, he was first seen in the crime comedy Soodhu Kavvum that saw him playing the role of a forty-year-old kidnapper. The film opened to extremely positive reviews and has become a huge success at the box office. Malini Mannath from The New Indian Express in her review wrote: "It’s laudable that the actor doesn’t hesitate to take a role that has him playing a 40-year-old man, greying and with a paunch". The Times of India reviewer N. Venkateswaran cited that "His knack of choosing good roles and working with new directors brimming with ideas will stand him in good stead, as also the work he puts in to portray each character. He put on weight and grew a beard to play Das, and the look fits him to a 'T'". His next release was Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara, directed by Gokul. It was met with positive reviews by critics and Vijay Sethupathi's performance was highly praised. Haricharan Pudipeddi from The New Indian Express in his review wrote : "Vijay Sethupathi has become a darling of the masses. Scene after scene, the audience hoots and cheers for him in unison." Rediff reviewer S.Saraswathi cited that "His greatest strength lies in being able to counter the stereotypical image of heroes in commercial cinema today. In every film, we see him in a completely different avatar, and his latest film is no different. Vijay Sethupathi seems to have the knack of choosing the right role and script and he effortlessly slips into his character as Kumar." Behindwoods stated that Vijay Sethupathi as Sumar Moonji Kumar has done it yet again, raising his pennant higher, making himself more visible to his fervent fans. The depth in his innocence and the foolhardiness in his love are a couple of things that stand tall in the character he plays, and Vijay Sethupathi has pulled it off in grand style. The actor is a revelation in the climax sequence, showing the other dimension of his acting.

2014–15

In 2014, His films Rummy and Pannaiyarum Padminiyum were released, both directed by debutants.Pannaiyarum Padminiyum, based on its same-titled short film, revolved around an old man and his vintage car Premier Padmini, with Sethupathi starring as its chauffeur.The film opened to predominantly positive reviews from critics and is the only Tamil film which has been selected to be screened at the 19th International Film Festival of Kerala.The same year Akhaada was being dubbed into Tamil asEdakku by its makers, to profit from Sethupathi's popularity in Tamil Nadu.The film was being promoted as a Vijay Sethupathi film, with the actor being prominently featured in the posters, although he had only a minor role in it, and Sethupathi stated that the audience would feel cheated after seeing the film, if it was promoted this way.He was next seen in the action drama Vanmam directed by debutant Jaikrishna. Though the film was met with average reviews, Vijay Sethupathi's performance was praised by critics. Malini Mannath from The New Indian Express in his review wrote : It’s Vijay Sethupathi’s film the whole way. The actor renders a power packed performance, capturing each nuance of the character with precision and understanding. Behindwoods stated that the stand out element in the film is Vijay Sethupathi, who has managed to attach his performance to the nativity of the location to the best of his ability. The actor scores effortlessly in some portions, one of them being the scene where he breaks into Kreshna’s house under the influence of alcohol.

In 2015, he was first seen in the political thriller Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai directed by S. P. Jananathan. It was met with positive reviews by critics and Vijay Sethupathi's performance was highly praised. The Times of India reviewer M. Suganth cited that "Vijay Sethupathi redeems everything with a sensitive performance.Balusamy might be the film's central character, but it is Yamalingam who is its beating heart." Rediff reviewer S.Saraswathi cited that "Vijay Sethupathi, as a tormented soul loath to pull the lever that will release the trapdoor and take a life, is perhaps the best." In July 2015, his first movie as producer Orange Mittai directed by Biju Viswanath got released and met with positive reviews by the critics and entertainment portals. He was next seen in the rom-com Naanum Rowdy Dhaan directed by Vignesh Shivan which became his highest grossing movie till date.

2016–present

In 2016, he was first seen in the police action drama Sethupathi directed by S. U. Arunkumar. Sethupathi received praise for his performance. Vishal Menon of The Hindu said that it was a good thriller and a better family drama. Latha Srinivasan of DNA wrote that there were no loud over-the-top dialogues and punchlines that were typical of all on-screen cops in Tamil films and Vijay Sethupathi outshone many other Kollywood heroes as the cop.Malini Mannath of The New Indian Express wrote that it is another feather in the cap for Vijay Sethupathi, who revealing his versatility yet again handles his role with remarkable understanding. Anupama Subramaniam of Deccan Chroniclewrote that Vijay Sethupathi’s moves are full of energy and enthusiasm and his impeccable dialogue delivery is a treat to watch.^[He was next seen in the romantic comedyKadhalum Kadandhu Pogum directed by Nalan Kumarasamy, yet again received positive critics. His next release was Iraivi by Karthik Subbaraj. He received critical acclaims for his role as Michael. In the same year his fourth film Dharma Durai (2016 film) was released which was directed by Vijay Sethupathi's debut movie director Seenu Ramasamy. After the success of Dharmadurai his next movie Aandavan Kattalai (2016 film) was released on September 23. The movie won him huge praises. He was praised by all for his very calm and natural acting in the movie. Reviewer Baradwaj Rangan of The Hindu praised his performance in the movie - "What he adds isn’t just star power. It’s sunshine".

Vijay Sethupathi is currently working in Rekka directed by Rathina Shiva and untitled K. V. Anand project.

Other work

In 2014, Chennai Mayopathy Institute of Muscular Dystrophy & Research Center has organized a rally on 3 August at Marina Beach to raise awareness on Muscular Dystrophy. Vijay Sethupathi has taken part in the rally along with actresses Gayathrie and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar.

Personal life

Vijay Sethupathi has three siblings, one elder brother, one younger brother and one younger sister. He returned from Dubai in 2003 to marry his girlfriend, whom he had met and dated online. He has two children, a son Surya and a daughter Shreeja. He named his son Surya in the remembrance of his friend who died during his school days. Surya made his acting debut playing the younger version of Vijay Sethupathi in Naanum Rowdydhaan. He's an atheist.

Vijay Sethupathi: The average Joe who made it big in Tamil films

Vijay Sethupathi is an accountant-turned-actor who works primarily in the Tamil film industry. (VijaySethupathi.Official/Facebook)

Vijay Sethupathi is one of the busiest actors in Tamil filmdom today. His latest release Dharma Durai is his fourth film this year after Sethupathi, Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum and Iraivi, and so far, it looks like two more will be on his list before the year is out. Dharma Durai, with a budget of Rs 13 crore, has already garnered Rs 11.50 crore a week after its box office release, according to its makers. For an accountant who had no interest in cinema until his mid-twenties and then spent six years struggling as a junior artiste while he was married and had kids, what makes this 38-year-old ‘Sumar Mooji Kumar (Average Joe)’ such a sought-after star in the Tamil film industry?

Vijay Sethupathi has been a permanent fixture in films made by Karthik Subbaraj and Nalan Kumarasamy, who along with a bunch of other directors are often credited with making script-focused, critically acclaimed, low-budget movies. While Subbaraj’s 2012 hit Pizza made people sit up and take notice, Kumarasamy’s Soodhu Kavvum in 2013, flagged him as an important star to watch out for. Today, Tamil film analyst Sreedhar Pillai places Sethupathi somewhere in between a Dhanush and Siva Karthikeyan in terms of his popularity and commercial viability. “Vijay Sethupathi is a very saleable, mid-level hero. He has strategised to fit himself into the position,” he says. But exactly how Sethupathi got to this position is one of the most fascinating stories of current Tamil cinema.

Rejected for being too short

Sethupathi, who grew up in Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district in Southern Tamil Nadu, says his earliest memory associated with cinema is from when he was around 16 years old. “We were once taken to watch the shooting of Kamal Haasan’s Nammavar. A few of my friends were even picked to appear in the film. But I was rejected saying I was too short,” he says.

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“I had no interest in cinema until I was 24 years old. My friends had posters of their favourite stars in their houses, but I was far from a film buff - very detached from films,” he says. Ultimately, it was financial need that did the trick. “I came to cinema for money. I had to settle a loan of Rs 10 lakh. I had no other go, so I thought I’d try my luck in films. I was earning Rs 25,000 at that time. It was not even enough for my family,” he explains.

Vijay Sethupathi has, over the years, successfully established himself as saleable, mid-level hero. (VijaySethupathi.Official/Facebook)

Sethupathi had worked his way through college taking up a few part-time jobs, only because he was a workaholic, he says. “I worked as an accountant in an auditor’s office, at a textile showroom, a telephone booth and a fast-food joint while studying. My dad found it odd, but he never interfered in any of my decisions.” Sethupathi’s first real job after passing out of college was with a cement dealership firm that earned him Rs 3,500 a month. “I used to work there from 9 am to 7.30 pm. Then I would man a telephone booth from 8 pm to midnight. That would get me around Rs 1,200. My father’s work was dull, so I needed to support my family,” he shares.

A search for a better life and job took him to Dubai in November 2000. “It was an accountant job too, but paid me around Rs 12,000,” he says. While in Dubai, he started a long-distance romance with Jessy, an HR professional in a private firm in Chennai. They married a few months later. “She was my friend’s colleague. We used to chat up online. In November 2003, I flew down to marry her. I was just 24,” Sethupathi recalls. “If you ask me how and why we got married, I’m at a loss to explain. I don’t overthink such things,” he shrugs.

Actors’ training

The acting bug bit him while he was working in the sales department of a friend’s interior design firm, just months after his marriage. “I used to be very photogenic. My brother took a lot of pictures of me in Dubai. I thought maybe I could be a movie star. There was a hurdle though - I didn’t know anything about films. I don’t believe in luck, I knew I wasn’t going to make a cut without some professional training. So I found out Koothu-P-Pattarai [a prominent Tamil theatre group in Chennai] offered workshops for aspiring actors.” Unfortunately, he learned they had discontinued their acting course but they had an opening for an accountant. “It paid really less, but I decided to take it up, without even telling my family. I thought I could observe actors who would come there, and learn,” Sethupathi recounts.

Watch the trailer of Sethupathi here:

“My kids were still young, so I took the risk. My wife was very upset when she found out and made me promise I would stop doing this. But I continued and she gave up talking me out of it,” he elaborates.

While at Pattarai, he went on to stage a street play on the tsunami in around 50 villages. “I lost all my inhibitions and it gave me confidence,” he says. “I was always under the impression that acting is an innate gift. One of the first things I heard them say at Koothu-P-Pattarai was that actors should realise the art of acting through their training.”

Watch the trailer of Dharmadurai here:

While still hunting for sizeable characters to play, he appeared in minor roles in Pudhupettai, Dishyum, M Kumaran S/O Mahalakhsmi, Lee, Naan Mahaan Alla and a few other films. He was cast in the lead role in a TV serial called Penn aired by Sun TV. “The channel folks would say, there’s no expression on his face. But sir [CJ Bhaskar, the director] egged me on and told me I had very expressive eyes and if I realised my potential, I would be a big star someday,” he recollects.

Short films

In 2011, Kalaignar TV’s popular reality show Naalaya Iyakunar (Tomorrow’s Director) had started and contestants like Karthik Subbaraj, M Manikandan (of Kaaka Muttai fame) and Nalan Kumarasamy were making their own short films. Sethupathi starred in interesting ones like Thuru, Angel, Wind and Kadhal Suttru. He considers this phase a great learning curve in his acting career.

“I wanted to make a short for Naalaya Iyakunar and I wanted to cast a decent actor,” says Subbaraj. “Manikandan, who was the cinematographer for my film, said ‘Let’s go for someone professional.’ I didn’t have the budget for it.” Manikandan introduced Subbaraj to Sethupathi, who was then acting in small roles in feature films and short films. “I was an amateur. After I saw Vijay Sethupathi’s acting, I understood what a good actor can do to my script. After the first short I did, I knew he would go on to become a good actor,” Karthik says. “One thing that’s always struck me about him is his confidence that he’d make it big somehow,” he adds.

His first big break

Sethupathi’s journey in film was by no means easy. He says he was signed on to be the hero in a few films, all of which got dropped. One of them was later made in Kannada, titled Akhada, where Sethupathi played the villain and was paid a disappointing Rs 10,000 for the film, which still hasn’t released. Then came Seenu Ramasamy’s Thenmerku Paruvakaatru in 2010, his first major film. Ramasamy also has him starring in his latest, Dharma Durai. “He loves me very much. He’s my mentor, friend and a brother. He keeps track of my works and whenever we met, he kisses me on forehead and gives me a hug. It’s great to be able to share your complete happiness with someone who cares for you,” he says.

Pizza was a horror film that featured Sethupathi as a pizza delivery man. (pizzathefilm/Facebook.com)

When Subbaraj went on to make his feature film debut Pizza in 2012, Sethupathi was his obvious choice for a hero. Pizza was a horror film that featured Sethupathi as a pizza delivery man who has a paranormal experience when he delivers pizza at a house. “Actually, Jigarthanda was the first script that I had in hand, but I couldn’t find a producer, that’s when I wrote Pizza, which required only a small investment. When I wrote Jigarthanda, I had envisioned Vijay Sethupathi in the role of Sethu - the role that finally went to Bobby Simhaa. When we were making Jigarthanda,Vijay Sethupathi was busy with a lot of other projects and we went with Bobby for the role. Even then I had a small role for Vijay,” Subbaraj says.

Vijay Sethupathi in a still from Iraivi. (VijaySethupathi.Official/Facebook)

“Karthik had already done a few short films with Vijay,” says CV Kumar, Pizza’s producer, “so when he said he was comfortable with Vijay, I agreed.” Pizza was made on a budget of Rs 1.5 crore. After over a month’s run at the box office, the movie grossed over Rs 4 crore in Chennai alone.

The 2013 hit Soodhu Kavvum, a black comedy about a botched kidnapping directed by Nalan Kumarasamy and produced by Kumar, was another highlight in Sethupathi’s career. “By the time we did Soodhu Kavvum, he had already established himself as an actor with Pizza, Sundarapandian and Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanam. Soodhu Kavvum was made at a budget of about Rs 2.6 crore and it became a big hit,” beams Kumar. Film critic Baradwaj Rangan’s review of the film concluded saying, “Vijay Sethupathi, the poster boy of this cinema, was welcomed in his first scene with cheers and claps usually reserved for mass heroes making their entry. It’s the sweetest sound I’ve heard in years.”

Vijay Sethupathi plays a tough cop in Sethupathi. (VijaySethupathi.Official/Facebook)

Over the next couple of years, Sethupathi appeared in several low-budget entertainers like Itharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara, Pannaiyarum Padminiyum, Jigarthanda and Orange Mittai, a film about a paramedic and a heart patient that he says is close to his heart. He decided to produce the film, investing his salary for one film as the budget. Although he incurred a loss of about Rs 2 crore, he feels it’s one of his best roles so far. His recent films like Naanum Rowdy Thaan, Sethupathi and Dharma Durai, though non-formulaic, have been successful commercial entertainers. “I don’t differentiate a film as off-beat or commercial, because I just don’t understand the difference. Naanum Rowdy Thaan for example wasn’t written for me. It came to me by chance after two or three other heroes turned it down. I agreed to do the role as I liked the script immensely,” he says.

The actor’s craft

Sethupathi says that when he picks a film, he isn’t looking to see if it offers him enough scope to perform. He believes an actor’s importance in the film will be decided by the script, whether it’s a 10-minute role or a half-hour one.

“I have always felt that doing too much of homework makes the performance look plastic,” he says about his working style. “I don’t even watch the monitor after I finish my scene because I can’t reprise it. I just go with the flow.” But Subbaraj says Sethupathi’s performance is a result of a bit of both homework and spontaneity. “He doesn’t come to the sets without having any idea of the script either. He gets into the skin of the character very quickly. In Iraivi, the first scene we shot was the one where he gets out of the jail. It only appears in the second half of the film, but he right away got into that mode and started performing. We had discussed the script a week before and he had tuned his mind accordingly,” recounts the director.

Watch the trailer of Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum here:

Subbaraj describes him as “comfortable” actor who understands the script he’s performing from. “He tries to conceive the scene and then act. He tries to give his inputs as well. What I like about him most is his thought-process while acting and while conceiving a scene. I have a habit of discussing my scene with all my actors. I ask if they have anything to add and I always got the best inputs from Vijay Sethupathi,” he notes.

The director also notes his eagerness and unpretentious nature. “I remember an instance during my first short film, when I told him that I’d bring him a costume for him to try on. The next day we met at a tea shop and I showed him some T-shirts. He said he’d try them on and he just removed his shirt right there and tried it on. He’s that kind of guy.”

A bankable hero?

Vijay’s choice of scripts and his affordability as an actor have made him a front-runner in a league of actors like Vimal, Vishnu Vishal and Dinesh Ravi, who can draw crowds for movies made on shoe-string budgets. His flexibility and non-demanding working style too mark him a favourite.

“I remember we paid Sethupathi Rs 4-5 lakh for the first film, Pizza. As a producer, I always cast people according to what the role demands. But Vijay Sethupathi is a star in his own right. Now he may be getting around Rs 3 crore,” says producer Kumar. “He is very cooperative and has never pressured us with too many demands,” he adds.

Analyst Sreedhar Pillai believes that in the long run, Vijay’s viability as a hero depends on keeping his demands low and the budgets tighter. “He should only concentrate on low-budget films and should do at least 4-5 films a year. If he goes over-budget, he would not be very saleable. He is a Tamil Nadu figure at the moment and his market is limited to the space here. We need such heroes for the industry to survive as opposed to overpaid heroes who do not deliver at the end of the day,” he pronounces.

In the meanwhile, the films are rolling in for Sethupathi. Aandavan Kattalai, an entertainer about moving abroad directed by Manikandan, is expected to be released in September while his masala action film Rekka is slated for release in October. Two more films, Mellisai and Idam Porul Yaeval are also completed and awaiting release.

Vijay Sethupathi