Baththa (2026)

🏫 In 1986 Madras, Baththavachalam—feared on the streets simply as "Baththa"—is a ruthless, dreaded gangster who commands unquestioned authority through pure intimidation and physical terror. His life takes an absurd and humiliating turn when an eight-year-old schoolboy named Sabhari accidentally locks him inside an abandoned school bathroom. Paralyzed by fear of the violent thug, Sabhari secretly slips rusks under the door but cannot muster the courage to open the latch, leaving the underworld boss isolated, starving, and stripped of his swagger. Confined to four walls, Baththa is forced into an unexpected period of deep introspection—grappling with toxic masculinity, childhood insecurities, and the mistreatment of his wife, Kannima. When Sabhari finally helps free him, the strange dynamic blossoms into a tender, transformative bond that fundamentally alters the gangster's outlook on respect, redemption, and fear.