Gethu
Gethu is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film written and directed by Krish Thirukumaran.[1] Produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin under his banner Red Giant Movies, it stars Udhayanidhi Stalin in the lead role as Sethu, a librarian who investigates the real perpetrator after his father, a teacher named Thulasi Raman played by Sathyaraj, is falsely accused of murder.[1] The film also features Amy Jackson as Nandhini, Vikranth in a supporting role, and includes elements of conspiracy involving a hitman targeting a scientist in a hill town setting.[1] Released on 14 January 2016, Gethu garnered low audience ratings, with an IMDb score of 3.9/10 from over 500 users, and received mixed critical reception praising its cinematography while critiquing its lack of suspense and narrative depth.[1]Synopsis and Cast
Plot Summary
Gethu centers on Sethu (Udhayanidhi Stalin), a mild-mannered librarian residing in a serene hill station, who maintains a disciplined lifestyle incorporating yoga and veganism while avoiding conflicts.[2] He encounters Nandini (Amy Jackson), an aspiring television news anchor who has neglected to return borrowed library books, and offers her guidance to advance her career.[3] [2] Parallel to this, a skilled sniper assassin, Craig (Vikranth), infiltrates the town under orders from a traitor to eliminate Dr. Abdul Kamaal, a prominent scientist developing technology with significant implications for national security.[4] [5] Sethu's father, Thulasi Raman (Sathyaraj), a principled school teacher, becomes entangled in the assassination scheme through unforeseen circumstances, resulting in his false accusation of murdering a man.[6] [7] To exonerate his father, Sethu embarks on an investigation that exposes the sniper's operations and the underlying conspiracy, forcing him to confront dangers beyond his unassuming routine.[6] [7] [8]Principal Cast and Roles
The principal roles in Gethu (2016) are played by Udhayanidhi Stalin as Sethu Raman, the protagonist and son of a teacher entangled in a conspiracy; Sathyaraj as Thulasi Raman, Sethu's father and a principled schoolteacher falsely implicated in a scandal; Amy Jackson as Nandhini Ramanujan, Sethu's love interest and a college student; and Vikranth as Craig (also known as Bull), the primary antagonist orchestrating threats against the family.[9][10][11]| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Udhayanidhi Stalin | Sethu Raman | Lead protagonist who confronts the threats to his family.[12][9] |
| Sathyaraj | Thulasi Raman | Sethu's father, a teacher facing false accusations of misconduct.[10][11] |
| Amy Jackson | Nandhini Ramanujan | Sethu's romantic partner, depicted as a spirited Brahmin student.[12][13] |
| Vikranth | Craig (aka Bull) | Villainous hitman plotting against the protagonists.[9][10] |
Production
Development and Pre-Production
Krish Thirukumaran, who had previously served as an associate director on A. R. Murugadoss's films including Ghajini, developed the script for Gethu and directed it as his second feature after Maan Karate (2014).[14][15] The film was produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin through his Red Giant Movies banner, with Stalin taking the lead role alongside casting announcements for actors such as Amy Jackson and Vikranth.[16] Pre-production culminated in the release of the first look poster on April 2, 2015, signaling advanced preparation including script finalization and initial casting.[17] By September 2015, Stalin confirmed a targeted release for December 18, 2015, reflecting completed pre-production logistics such as scheduling and budgeting under Red Giant Movies.[16]Casting Process
Udhayanidhi Stalin, the film's producer under Red Giant Movies, took on the lead role of Sethu Raman, a librarian drawn into a conspiracy involving a sniper assassination.[18] This dual involvement aligned with his prior acting credits in Tamil cinema, emphasizing an action-oriented persona for the character.[19] Sathyaraj was cast as Thulasi Raman, Sethu's principled father and a teacher falsely implicated in the plot, leveraging his extensive experience in authoritative paternal roles across Tamil films.[11] No public details emerged on specific auditions for this role, suggesting a direct selection based on his established reputation for such parts. For the female lead Nandhini Ramanujan, an aspiring news anchor, director Krish Thirukumaran selected Amy Jackson, pairing her opposite Stalin in a romantic subplot amid the thriller elements. In a pre-release interview, Thirukumaran disclosed that Jackson was not his initial choice, implying prior considerations of other actresses before finalizing her for the Anglo-Indian character.[20] Her casting followed her rising profile in South Indian cinema post-I (2015), despite critiques of typecasting her in visually driven roles.[5] Vikranth was approached by Thirukumaran for the antagonist Craig, alias Bull, a suave sniper and expelled official executing a targeted hit, marking a departure from Vikranth's typical heroic leads after his 2014-2015 hiatus and return via Pandiyanaadu. The director pitched the role's unconventional traits—sophisticated demeanor without routine villainous tropes like beatings—to secure his commitment, highlighting its negative shades over outright malevolence.[21][22] Vikranth accepted, appreciating the nuanced portrayal distinct from standard Tamil antagonists.[23] Supporting roles, such as Karunakaran as Kanagu (Sethu's friend), were filled without widely documented selection processes, focusing on ensemble dynamics to support the core thriller narrative.[19] Overall, casting prioritized established actors for key positions, with the director's vision guiding deviations like Vikranth's villainy to enhance plot freshness.Filming and Technical Execution
Principal photography for Gethu commenced in early 2015, with the production being approximately half complete by April of that year. Schedules were conducted across multiple Indian locations to capture the film's hill station setting, including Kodaikanal for a dedicated second shooting block, Kerala for initial portions, Goa for a 16-day final schedule ending around late September 2015, and Shillong for concluding sequences on October 27, 2015.[24][25][26] Additional filming occurred in Chennai for talkie portions, towns in Karnataka, and sites in Meghalaya such as Cherrapunji, alongside Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.[27] The cinematography, handled by Sukumar, emphasized visual aesthetics suited to the thriller genre, with deliberate attention to color tones and exotic hill station landscapes that enhanced the film's atmospheric tension.[3][11] Editing was overseen by Dinesh Ponraj, who assembled the footage into a runtime of approximately 120 minutes, focusing on pacing the action sequences and romantic interludes.[11] Production design by S. Rajamohan incorporated specific color palettes to align with the narrative's thriller elements, though the film relied minimally on visual effects, prioritizing practical location shoots over extensive post-production enhancements.[28] No advanced digital interventions or notable VFX workflows were reported in production accounts, reflecting a grounded technical approach typical of mid-budget Tamil thrillers of the era.Soundtrack
Composition and Tracks
The soundtrack for Gethu was composed by Harris Jayaraj, who also handled the background score.[29][30] The album, consisting of five tracks, was released on December 25, 2015, ahead of the film's January 2016 theatrical debut.[30][31] The songs blend melodic structures with rhythmic elements typical of Jayaraj's style, incorporating Tamil folk influences and contemporary beats, with lyrics primarily by Thamarai and others.[32]| Track No. | Title | Singers | Duration | Lyrics by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thillu Mullu | Naresh Iyer, Ranina Reddy | 6:01 | Padmavathi, Sirkali Sirpi, Gaana Vinoth |
| 2 | Thaen Kaatru | Haricharan, Shashaa Tirupati | 5:05 | Thamarai |
| 3 | Yevanda Ivan | MC Vickey, Sharmila | 3:11 | Not specified in sources |
| 4 | Adiyae Adiyae | Karthik | Not specified | Thamarai |
| 5 | Mutta Bajji | Gana Vinoth | Not specified | Gaana Vinoth |