Stephen

A psychiatrist agrees to evaluate a man who has confessed to multiple murders, and what begins as a clinical assessment quickly becomes a tense contest of narratives. Through recorded sessions and private conversations the clinician encounters competing memories, signs of past violence, and carefully placed contradictions that make a definitive account impossible. Family histories, professional loyalties, and the subject's own contradictory charisma complicate clear judgments about blame. As the doctor pieces together motives and inconsistencies, ethical lines blur and suspicion spreads in unexpected directions, leaving viewers to question whether the person in custody is the architect of evil, a scapegoat, or someone shaped by forces beyond his control.

Stephen was released in 2025, directed by Mithun and created by Gomathi Shankar, who also takes the lead role. The film features Smruthi Venkat, Michael Thangadurai, Vijayashree, and Kuberan in key supporting parts, presenting a tight, actor-driven suspense piece.

The movie opened on a limited theatrical run alongside streaming availability, and no widely reported worldwide box office figures have been published. Its release strategy appears focused on targeted audiences rather than a broad commercial push.

Even early on Stephen prompted conversations among true-crime enthusiasts, mental health advocates, and filmmakers about how thrillers depict psychiatric practice and consent during interviews. Online discussion often centers on the moral ambiguity the film presents and on Gomathi Shankar's performance as a catalyst for debate about responsibility and media framing.

Reception has trended mixed to positive, reflected by a 6.7/10 user average from seven votes. Critics and viewers note the film's claustrophobic tone, unreliable narration, and emphasis on trauma, deceit, and psychological manipulation, appreciating that it raises thorny questions about culpability instead of offering tidy answers.