Subu, who had earlier served as a lyricist for the movie Aarohanam, completed the first schedule in Kodaikanal in March 2013. Two of the actors, Venkatesh and Lakshmi Priyaa, have worked with Chennai-based theatre groups, Stray Factory and Evam respectively. Lakshmi Priyaa, who plays the role of a tribal girl in Sutta Kadhai, liked the script because the storyline of the dark comedy was different." According to Subu, Sutta Kadhai will be a different creation because of the milieu of the story. "Even as the rip-roaring instances happen, the underlying factors are spine-chilling. It is all about a murder and the ensuing enquiry. The story takes place at night, and we shot the film extensively in Kodaikanal. One night while shooting, we were confronted by a herd of wild buffaloes, which added to the thrill," says Subu.
Soundtrack
The music was composed by Madley Blues, a band consisting of Harish Venkat and Prashanth Techno. The audio launch was held on 1 June at the Victoria Hall in Geneva, Switzerland along with the audios of Nalanum Nandhiniyum and Thillu Mullu, audio was relaunched in Chennai at Sathyam Cinemas by Nassar, director A. L. Vijay and Studio GreenK. E. Gnanavel Raja, amidst the presence of C. V. Kumar, actor Ramakrishnan, J. S. Nandhini, producer Ashok G. Loth, Amma Creations T. Siva, Karu Pazhaniappan, comedian Sathish, director SuBu, composer K, and film actors Balaji, Venkatesh, and Lakshmi Priyaa. Behindwoods wrote:"Makes right noises".
The satellite rights of the film were sold to Puthuyugam, and they have been telecasted on 3 November 2013 one week after its theatrical release.
Critical reception
The film received mixed reviews. Baradwaj Rangan wrote "Subu has a superb eye for the absurd. The film is filled with borderline-surreal non sequiturs, some of which are downright Monty Pythonesque. The problem is that the director feels compelled to connect these bits through a “story,” and the plot, even at an hour and 45 minutes, is a major drag". Behindwoods wrote: "Though director Subu's intelligence and wit can't be questioned, this murder mystery never takes itself seriously and resolves too conveniently in the end. The twists straighten themselves out, all too easily. If the movie had offered more laugh-worthy moments, particularly in the second half, the end product could have been memorable". Indiaglitz wrote: "Sutta Kadhai' is a bright idea, which could have followed a more gripping screenplay to keep the audience involved, than just complete the procedure of getting the film done. The minor details to keep this movie stand out, have been taken utmost care to be accomplished with".
