Atlee Presents ‘Baththa’ Wins Best Feature Film at the India Film Festival of Alberta 2026; Young Actor Sai Prithviraj Earns Special Mention for Best Actor!
Directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan and headlined by Vijay Sethupathi, the critically acclaimed Tamil drama achieves a proud international double honour following its strong theatrical run and Netflix premiere.
Filmmaker Atlee and the team behind Baththa have reason to celebrate on the global stage as the critically acclaimed Tamil drama bagged the Best Feature Film award at the 12th India Film Festival of Alberta (IFFA) 2026. Having earned an Official Selection at the Canadian festival—where it screened in Edmonton earlier this month—the film secured a prestigious double honour after young actor Sai Prithviraj received a Special Mention in the Best Actor category for his heartfelt performance.
Written and directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan, Baththa marks his third celebrated collaboration with Makkal Selvan Vijay Sethupathi following Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and Seethakaathi. Set in 1986 Madras, the film tells the moving, humorous story of an unlikely bond formed between a dreaded local gangster and a timid young boy. Following its worldwide theatrical release on October 1, 2026, Baththa emerged as a sleeper hit on the strength of glowing critical acclaim and positive word of mouth, before expanding its reach to pan-India audiences via its multi-language digital premiere on Netflix on October 29.
Alongside Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Prithviraj, the ensemble cast features Lijomol Jose, Ajay Ghosh, Hari Krishnan, and Arjun Chidambaram, with music composed by Sai Abhyankkar. Both Vijay Sethupathi’s nuanced turn and Sai Prithviraj’s natural, emotionally resonant portrayal have drawn widespread praise from audiences and critics alike.
Presented by Star Studio18 and Atlee, and produced under the banners of Cine1 Studios and A For Apple Studios by Murad Khetani, Priya Atlee, Alok Jain, and Ajit Andhare (with Ashwin Murugan as co-producer), the double win at IFFA 2026 marks a proud international milestone for the entire team.
View the official announcement on Instagram
By Keerti Kadam