Bad But Brilliant

Vijay Sethupathi, Tamil cinema’s new favourite, makes the villain as big as the hero in Vikram Vedha—which celebrated a 50-day run of packed theatres. Dressed in casuals and slippers, with only a printed yellow scarf for pizzazz, he nevertheless oozes charisma.

- Prachi Sibal

In an industry dominated by young, image conscious boys, Sethupathi is middle-aged and unapologetic about it. He effortlessly moves between hero and villain, swagger and humility. He is the antihero audiences can’t comprehend, but have come to love. Beginning his career with “negative roles” and packing on the pounds or letting himself look old when the part required, Sethupathi says he’s never been afraid of risks. “If you start worrying about risks, you might as well stay inside the womb,” he says.