MELBOURNE, 5 December, 2025: Netflix’s cinematic essay directed by Mithun Balaji on a psycho killer STEPHEN Jebaraj, traces and analysis the array of incidents, both personal and social, from childhood to the bloodletting of nine girls. Cinema’s enticement with serial killer stories, globally and in India, is baffling and much debated. STEPHEN, is not different from them, but here the treatment is different, and an attempt to delve deep into why a young man commits such gory homicides. In fact, the making of a normal person into a serial killer, who confesses his crimes.
In Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, the message is that the moment a crime is committed, the criminal’s punishment starts instantly. The punishment or rather the fear of society leads to isolation and insulation from society’s moral codes. Stephen’s development into a serial killer is determined by his abusive childhood, with parents in a troubled relationship, his own relationship, and spate of incidents beyond his control.
Law enforcement and psychiatrist investigatigation of the protagonist, who surrenders and confesses his crimes, makes the movie a gripping thriller. He has killed 9 girls, plus his near and dear ones, not an easy investigation. Stephen talks and flashbacks of past violent family happenings and relationship, add to the movie’s strong analytical approach. The film is dark and at times disturbing, but necessary for the script.
Gomathi Shankar as Stephen acts composed and others did their roles as needed. Direction has a clear vision, is creative, and communicates ably.
Ther romantic song, was not needed, duration could be cut by crisp editing, and the script could be tighter.
Towards the conclusion, in a make believe scenario , the protagonist talks to his victims. Quite interesting. Also, “To be Continued…” means a sequel soon.
Stephen starts streaming on December 5, 2025, worldwide on Netflix, in multiple Indian languages (Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada) with English subtitles.
Name– Stephen
– Mithun Balaji
Principal language – Tamil
Writers – Mithun Balaji, Gomathi Shankar
Cast – Gomathi Shankar as Stephen, Michael Thangadurai, Smruthi Venkat, Vadivel, Shrisha, Harija, Vijayashree…
Producers – Jayakumar and Mohan
Music– Raghav Rayan
Rating – Three & half stars out of 5.
