CHENNAI: The much-awaited psychological thriller, Stephen is all set to have its premiere on Netflix from today.

Talking about the movie, director Mithun Balaji said that Stephen grew far beyond what the team had imagined.

“A small short film slowly became a story that demanded more thought, more research, and more courage. We chose a name that feels familiar across cultures because the film speaks to universal emotions.My father stepped in and funded this film from his savings so we could chase this dream which meant I had to step into every role the film demanded - directing, writing, producing, and editing,” he said.

The film was co-written by its lead actor Gomathi Shankar, which helped him to get into the skin of the character better than before.

Being part of Stephen right from the writing table gave me a deeper connection to the character than I’ve ever had before.

The world we were creating was fragile, unsettling, and emotional, and stepping into it as an actor was both demanding and rewarding. We didn’t have extravagant resources, so every scene relied on sincerity and collaboration.