# Stephen (film)
**Stephen** (Tamil: ஸ்டீபன்) is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language psychological thriller film directed by debutant Mithun Balaji, written by Mithun and Gomathi Shankar, and released directly on Netflix on December 5, 2025.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-presents-stephen-a-psychological-manipulation-where-the-motive-is-as-murky-as-the-murder) It stars Gomathi Shankar as Stephen Jebaraj, a man who walks into a police station and confesses to murdering nine women, with Smruthi Venkat and Michael Thangadurai in supporting roles.[2](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/a-confession-starts-it-all-netflix-unveils-trailer-for-new-tamil-film-stephen) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38681567/fullcredits/) The film marks the directorial debut of Mithun Balaji and the first leading role for Gomathi Shankar, who also co-wrote the script.[2](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/a-confession-starts-it-all-netflix-unveils-trailer-for-new-tamil-film-stephen)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | December 5, 2025, directly on Netflix (no theatrical release), in Tamil with dubs in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-presents-stephen-a-psychological-manipulation-where-the-motive-is-as-murky-as-the-murder) • [4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/stephen/story.html) |
| Director / writers | Mithun Balaji (directorial debut); written by Mithun and Gomathi Shankar[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-presents-stephen-a-psychological-manipulation-where-the-motive-is-as-murky-as-the-murder) |
| Lead cast | Gomathi Shankar as Stephen Jebaraj, Smruthi Venkat as psychiatrist Seema, Michael Thangadurai as the investigating officer Michael[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38681567/fullcredits/) • [5](https://english.bigtvlive.com/reviews/stephen-movie-review-this-tamil-psychological-thriller-hit-or-miss/) |
| Production | Jayakumar and Mohan, JM Production House; music by Raghav Rayan[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/stephen/story.html) |
| Runtime and rating | 123 minutes; certified U/A 16+ in India[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/stephen/story.html) |
| Premise | A self-confessed serial killer's motive is probed by a psychiatrist, raising the question of whether he is guilty or a victim in a darker game[6](https://www.netflix.com/in/title/82057638) |
| Audience score | 5.4/10 on IMDb from about 1,800 user ratings[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38681567/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and structure
The film opens with Stephen Jebaraj surrendering at a police station and calmly admitting to the murders of nine women over six months.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/stephen/amp_ottmoviereview/125980043.cms) According to the plot summary published by FilmiBeat, the women were killed under the guise of conducting acting auditions; Stephen turns himself in, but his motives remain unclear and leave the police baffled.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/stephen/story.html) Psychiatrist Seema (Smruthi Venkat) begins evaluation sessions with him to reach his psychological layers, while investigating officer Michael (Michael Thangadurai) works to establish the motivation behind the killings.[5](https://english.bigtvlive.com/reviews/stephen-movie-review-this-tamil-psychological-thriller-hit-or-miss/)
The narrative is structured as what the filmmakers call a whydunit rather than a whodunit: the killer's identity is known from the beginning, and the story explores why he killed and what shaped his behavior.[9](https://www.ottplay.com/amp/interview/stephen-team-gomathi-shanker-and-mithun-balaji-on-their-serial-killer-saga-ours-isnt-a-whodunit-its-a-whydunit-exclusive/1e1bd18bb5995) Netflix's marketing likewise described the film as evolving "beyond being a whodunnit into a why-dunnit," as memories twist and the lines between guilt and innocence blur.[2](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/a-confession-starts-it-all-netflix-unveils-trailer-for-new-tamil-film-stephen) Reviewers noted the film's recurring devices, including repeated sequences that take on new meanings on each pass, split screens, and a recurring giant-wheel image that runs from the introductory sequence to the final shot as a guide to Stephen's mental state.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/stephen/amp_ottmoviereview/125980043.cms) • [10](https://scroll.in/reel/1088935/stephen-review-a-)
## Production and origins
**From short film to feature.** The project grew out of a short film that Mithun Balaji and Gomathi Shankar co-wrote around 2020, based on the same character; that short was well received at short-film festivals and inspired them to expand it.[11](https://www.newspointapp.com/english/trending/spark-for-psychological-thriller-stephen-came-from-our-short-film-says-actor-gomathi-shankar-ians-exclusive-ianslive/articleshow/14504820c79c8decdb15813657505d9f51b2d7bc) The accounts of its length differ: Cinema Express reported that the film "started as a short film with a 40-minute runtime," while an Ottplay interview with the duo described the first version as a 10-minute short, later developed into a pilot of about 30 minutes before becoming a feature.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Dec/04/director-mithun-balaji-stephen-grew-far-beyond-what-we-first-imagined) • [9](https://www.ottplay.com/amp/interview/stephen-team-gomathi-shanker-and-mithun-balaji-on-their-serial-killer-saga-ours-isnt-a-whodunit-its-a-whydunit-exclusive/1e1bd18bb5995)
The makers turned the short into a feature-length film after an extensive writing process that included research into real-life cases.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Dec/04/director-mithun-balaji-stephen-grew-far-beyond-what-we-first-imagined) Gomathi Shankar said the pair studied docu-fictions and interviews with serial killers such as [Edmund Kemper](https://www.edgepedia.org/edmund-kemper), Ted Bundy, and [Jerry Brudos](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-brudos) to help define who Stephen would be, since they could not draw on personal experience.[9](https://www.ottplay.com/amp/interview/stephen-team-gomathi-shanker-and-mithun-balaji-on-their-serial-killer-saga-ours-isnt-a-whodunit-its-a-whydunit-exclusive/1e1bd18bb5995) Mithun's father funded the film from his personal savings, which allowed Mithun to take on multiple roles himself; Nowrunning credits him as director and co-editor, alongside Kartyk A, with Gokul Krishna as cinematographer.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Dec/04/director-mithun-balaji-stephen-grew-far-beyond-what-we-first-imagined) • [13](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/31731/stephen/) The title was chosen, according to Mithun, because the name feels familiar across cultures while the film speaks to universal emotions.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Dec/04/director-mithun-balaji-stephen-grew-far-beyond-what-we-first-imagined)
The supporting cast includes Kuberan as Stephen's father and Vijayashree as his mother, with Shrisha as Krithika and Harija as Mary.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38681567/fullcredits/)
## Release
Netflix announced the December 5 premiere date on November 20, 2025, and released the trailer on November 25.[14](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Nov/20/netflixs-tamil-psychological-thriller-stephen-gets-a-premiere-date) • [2](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/a-confession-starts-it-all-netflix-unveils-trailer-for-new-tamil-film-stephen) The film skipped theaters and premiered straight to Netflix on December 5, 2025, with English subtitles available.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/stephen/story.html) Mithun stated that the film would be available in more than 190 countries.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-presents-stephen-a-psychological-manipulation-where-the-motive-is-as-murky-as-the-murder) The Netflix listing carries the Tamil original audio plus Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and English tracks, and classifies the film among its thriller, mystery, drama, and Tamil-language categories.[6](https://www.netflix.com/in/title/82057638) Monika Shergill, Vice-President of Content at Netflix India, described it as an addition to the platform's southern-language lineup and a showcase for both debuting creators.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-presents-stephen-a-psychological-manipulation-where-the-motive-is-as-murky-as-the-murder)
## Reception
Audience scores on IMDb settled at 5.4/10 from roughly 1,800 ratings.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38681567/) Critical response was divided. The Times of India gave 2.5/5, judging the film strongest as a serial-killer origin story and weaker as an investigative thriller, with unanswered questions about the police investigation; it nonetheless praised the performances of Gomathi Shankar and Vijayashree.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/stephen/amp_ottmoviereview/125980043.cms) The Indian Express's Shubhra Gupta also rated it 2.5/5, remarking that predictability was not the film's best look.[15](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stephen_2025) Scroll.in found the suspense unfulfilling and criticized gaps in the police investigation while calling Vijayashree's work as Stephen's mother the most striking element.[10](https://scroll.in/reel/1088935/stephen-review-a-) One reviewer on the negative side, cited by Rotten Tomatoes, wrote that the writing floundered under its own attempts to twist and turn.[15](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stephen_2025)
Positive reviews centered on the lead performance and the final act. Cinema Express called it "a layered and rewarding exploration of the killer's psyche," praising a meta-quality ending in which the film manipulates the audience the way Stephen manipulates his investigators.[16](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2025/Dec/05/stephen-movie-review-a-layered-and-rewarding-exploration-of-the-killers-psyche) A review carried by BigTV Live gave 2/5 but listed Gomathi Shankar's controlled central performance, the interrogation sequences, and the atmospheric cinematography among its strengths, while judging the climax overly ambitious and confusing.[5](https://english.bigtvlive.com/reviews/stephen-movie-review-this-tamil-psychological-thriller-hit-or-miss/) Rotten Tomatoes listed six critic reviews for the film's Tomatometer.[15](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stephen_2025)
## References
1. [Netflix Presents 'Stephen', A Psychological Manipulation Where The Motive Is As Murky As The Murder, About Netflix (19 November 2025)](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-presents-stephen-a-psychological-manipulation-where-the-motive-is-as-murky-as-the-murder)
2. [A Confession Starts It All — Netflix Unveils Trailer for New Tamil Psychological Thriller 'Stephen', About Netflix (25 November 2025)](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/a-confession-starts-it-all-netflix-unveils-trailer-for-new-tamil-film-stephen)
3. [Stephen (2025) — Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38681567/fullcredits/)
4. [Stephen Story | Stephen Tamil Movie Story, Synopsis, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/stephen/story.html)
5. [Stephen Movie Review: This Tamil Psychological Thriller Hit or Miss?, BigTV Live (5 December 2025)](https://english.bigtvlive.com/reviews/stephen-movie-review-this-tamil-psychological-thriller-hit-or-miss/)
6. [STEPHEN, Netflix Official Site (India)](https://www.netflix.com/in/title/82057638)
7. [Stephen (2025), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38681567/)
8. [Stephen Movie Review: A Disturbingly Interesting Serial Killer In A Dragged-Out Investigative Thriller, The Times of India (15 December 2025)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/stephen/amp_ottmoviereview/125980043.cms)
9. [Stephen team Gomathi Shankar and Mithun Balaji on their serial-killer saga: Ours isn't a whodunit, it's a whydunit, Ottplay (30 November 2025)](https://www.ottplay.com/amp/interview/stephen-team-gomathi-shanker-and-mithun-balaji-on-their-serial-killer-saga-ours-isnt-a-whodunit-its-a-whydunit-exclusive/1e1bd18bb5995)
10. [Stephen OTT review: A dodgy serial killer and an underwhelming mystery, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/reel/1088935/stephen-review-a-)
11. [Spark for psychological thriller 'Stephen' came from our short film, says actor Gomathi Shankar, IANS via NewsPoint (27 November 2025)](https://www.newspointapp.com/english/trending/spark-for-psychological-thriller-stephen-came-from-our-short-film-says-actor-gomathi-shankar-ians-exclusive-ianslive/articleshow/14504820c79c8decdb15813657505d9f51b2d7bc)
12. [Director Mithun Balaji: 'Stephen grew far beyond what we first imagined', Cinema Express (4 December 2025)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Dec/04/director-mithun-balaji-stephen-grew-far-beyond-what-we-first-imagined)
13. [Stephen (2025) | Stephen Tamil Movie, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/31731/stephen/)
14. [Netflix's Tamil psychological thriller Stephen gets a premiere date, Cinema Express (20 November 2025)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Nov/20/netflixs-tamil-psychological-thriller-stephen-gets-a-premiere-date)
15. [Stephen (2025), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stephen_2025)
16. [Stephen Movie Review: A layered and rewarding exploration of the killer's psyche, Cinema Express (5 December 2025)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2025/Dec/05/stephen-movie-review-a-layered-and-rewarding-exploration-of-the-killers-psyche)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films of the 2020s › Tamil films of 2025 › Titles M to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
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