Petta
A seemingly ordinary hostel warden unleashes a legendary violent past against a politician and his gangster heir.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- witty
- propulsive
- theatrical
- action movie night
- superstar showcase
What critics said
Critics broadly found Petta to be a stylish, satisfying Rajinikanth vehicle and crowd-pleasing revenge drama, though its underwritten characters and rushed, extended climax drew criticism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Kaali's role as a hostel warden is contrasted with hints of a formidable earlier life, making his hidden identity central to the revenge structure.
Critics repeatedly describe the film as restoring Rajinikanth's classic screen persona through Rajinisms and crowd-pleasing moments.
The politician and gangster son initially target the warden, while successive turns reveal why they should fear him.
The film is explicitly framed by critics as a complete crowd-pleaser with twists, turns, and a theatrical fan-oriented mode.
Films like Petta, and why
Baasha
star-driven Tamil action spectacle, revenge drama, larger-than-life hero charisma
Kabali
stylized Tamil gangster action with a commanding older male protagonist and mythic screen persona
Sivaji: The Boss
Tamil action revenge narrative built around a charismatic superstar performance and crowd-pleasing set pieces
Jailer
kinetic Indian action thriller combining gangster conflict, reversals, and flamboyant hero worship
Movie Details
- Director
- Karthik Subbaraj
- Release Date
- 2019-01-10
- Runtime
- 172 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (95)
Cast
- Rajinikanth
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui
- Vijay Sethupathi
- Sananth
- M. Sasikumar
- Bobby Simha
- Simran
- Trisha Krishnan
- Megha Akash
- Malavika Mohanan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Sun Nxt
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Petta about?
- A seemingly ordinary hostel warden unleashes a legendary violent past against a politician and his gangster heir.
- What is Petta like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Petta as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Petta violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Petta as brutal.
- What did critics think of Petta?
- Critics broadly found Petta to be a stylish, satisfying Rajinikanth vehicle and crowd-pleasing revenge drama, though its underwritten characters and rushed, extended climax drew criticism.
- Which films are like Petta?
- Films with a similar feel include Baasha, Kabali, Sivaji: The Boss, and Jailer.
- How long is Petta?
- Petta runs 172 minutes.
- Where can I watch Petta?
- In United States, Petta streams on Sun Nxt.
