Before he became a leading man, Vijay Sethupathi spent many years as a background actor, doing uncredited roles in films such as Love Birds , Gokulathil Seethai , and M. Kumaran Son of Mahalakshmi . After a series of small but noticeable supporting roles in films like Pudhupettai (2006), Lee (2007), Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu (2009), and Naan Mahaan Alla (2010), Sethupathi finally got his first lead role in Thenmerku Paruvakaatru in 2010.
, directed by Seenu Ramasamy, which won multiple National Awards and set the stage for his rise. 2. Rise to Stardom and "The Triple Hit" (2012–2013)
(2022): A critically lauded performance in a film highlighting the plight of rural farmers, which holds a on Rotten Tomatoes . Viduthalai Part 1
Before his breakthrough, Sethupathi spent several years playing minor, often uncredited roles as a friend or henchman. M. Kumaran Son of Mahalakshmi : Appears as a boxing student. Pudhupettai : Played the role of Anbu’s henchman. : Featured as Leelatharan's friend. Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu : Appeared as a Kabaddi player. Naan Mahaan Alla : Played the character Ganesh. Thenmerku Paruvakaatru vijay sethupathi tamil movie list
: A black comedy based on a real-life incident of temporary memory loss. Soodhu Kavvum
: A supernatural horror thriller that became a cult classic. Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom
He continues his busy streak with several projects slated for 2026: Before he became a leading man, Vijay Sethupathi
This era cemented Vijay Sethupathi not just as a reliable lead, but as an acting titan capable of challenging the biggest stars in the industry.
: A cult comedy based on a true story. His performance as a man with temporary memory loss became iconic. Rise to Stardom and "Makkal Selvan" Status (2013–2016)
An intense, feminist-leaning multi-starrer drama directed by Karthik Subbaraj that explored the toxic masculinity of three men and its impact on the women in their lives. , directed by Seenu Ramasamy, which won multiple
By 2017, Vijay Sethupathi was a bonafide star who chose to share the screen with other top actors, breaking the traditional norms of solo-hero stardom in Kollywood.
The Ultimate Vijay Sethupathi Tamil Movie List: From Background Actor to Makkal Selvan