# Atlee eyes the Oscars for Vijay Sethupathi's Baththa as collections climb

Published 2026-10-05T17:53:41Z

> Vijay Sethupathi's Baththa is reportedly growing steadily at the box office after its October 1 release, while presenter Atlee says he dreams of taking the film to the Oscars and speaking in Tamil there.

Vijay Sethupathi's Baththa is finding its feet in theatres, and the team behind it is already dreaming big. At the film's success meet on Saturday, Atlee, who presents the film, reportedly said he wants to take it all the way to the Oscars. He added that if he ever stands on the Academy stage, his speech will be in Tamil, not English.

Atlee tied the goal to his own journey. He said people at school would have laughed if he had claimed he would one day make films with Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay, yet he went on to do both. "Hollywood is a small place, and we can go there easily," he told the gathering, adding that he is doing everything he can to get there.

The numbers are moving in the right direction too. Trade tracking reportedly puts the period action comedy drama at ₹10.05 crore India net and ₹11.68 crore gross worldwide across its first four days. Sunday was reportedly its best day so far, with ₹3.10 crore net and ₹3.60 crore gross in India, and Tamil Nadu alone brought in ₹3 crore gross. The start was modest and the totals are still moderate for a Vijay Sethupathi film, but good word of mouth seems to be lifting it.

Baththa is Balaji Tharaneetharan's third film with Vijay Sethupathi, after Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and Seethakaathi. Set in Madras in 1986, it follows a dreaded local gangster who ends up locked inside a school toilet by an eight-year-old boy, and the bond that grows between them drives the story. Child actor Sai plays the boy, Lijomol Jose plays the gangster's wife, and Ajay Ghosh, Arjun Chidambaram, Santhy Balachandran and Hari Krishnan fill out the cast. Reviews have reportedly praised the lead, the young actor and the director's mix of humour and feeling.

Atlee also used the stage to back composer Sai Abhyankkar, who is working on his next directorial, Raaka, starring Allu Arjun. He said Hollywood technicians on that project were stunned by the young musician's work during sessions in London, and he brushed aside the nepotism claims the composer has faced online. For Baththa, the real test now is the weekday run, where a steady hold could set up a strong second weekend.

## Related titles
- [Vijay Sethupathi](https://clapnumber.com/movies/vijay-sethupathi)
- [Baththa](https://clapnumber.com/movies/baththa)

## Related people
- [Vijay Sethupathi](https://clapnumber.com/celebrities/vijay-sethupathi)
- [Atlee Kumar](https://clapnumber.com/celebrities/atlee-kumar)

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Source: https://clapnumber.com/news/atlee-eyes-the-oscars-for-vijay-sethupathis-baththa-as-collections-climb
Retrieved: 2026-10-05