Perhaps his most daring career move, Thiagarajan Kumararaja's hyperlink film saw Sethupathi play Shilpa, a transgender woman returning to her estranged wife and son. His deeply empathetic, non-caricatured portrayal earned him the prestigious . Other Notable Mentions from this Era:
Reunited with director Lokesh Kanagaraj to play "Sandhanam," a ruthless, drug-addicted cartel leader opposite Kamal Haasan.
A cinematic triumph. Sharing the screen with R. Madhavan, Sethupathi played Vedha, a philosophical, suave gangster. His magnetic screen presence and sharp dialogues completely redefined the anti-hero archetype in Tamil cinema.
By 2013, Vijay Sethupathi was recognized as a minimum-guarantee actor who championed quirky, content-driven cinema. He rejected the traditional larger-than-life hero tropes in favor of vulnerable, flawed characters.