(I’ll be a little harsh on our Telugu heroes in this article. If you’re a TFI banisa, you might want to skip this one. As I’ve already mentioned my view, I still recommend watching the film in theatres. But if you’re a film lover like me, get ready for some harsh words and some beautiful superlatives for Suriya, Venky Atluri and Mamitha Baiju.)
Venky Atluri: A young Filmmaker Who Thinks Like a Veteran
Director Venky Atluri was once part of a film called Sneha Geetham, where he played one of the leads. It was a very forgettable role, and even today, many people may not immediately identify him with the film.
He started his directorial journey with Varun Tej’s “ Tholi Prema“, a musical drama about the conflicts between two people in love. It was a beautiful introduction to Venky as a director and showed that there was a filmmaker worth watching.
That led him to “Mr. Majnu” with Akhil Akkineni. The film had good music and an engaging first half, but the second half couldn’t maintain the same vibe. The film ultimately felt a little off.
Naturally, expectations from Venky went downhill, and not many people were willing to invest in him until Dulquer Salmaan collaborated with him for “Lucky Bhaskar.”
Lucky Bhaskar was a thoughtful and moving drama about a struggling man who finds his way towards financial stability. It was one of the best films to come out that year.
I personally loved the film, and “LUCKY BHASKAR” was also my first four-star rating for a Venky Atluri film.
But what fascinates me about Venky Atluri is that he doesn’t write according to his age.
He brings the mindset of a mature audience into his scripts while allowing his characters to make immature decisions.
He thinks like a veteran when he writes.
At the same time, he brings the joy and excitement of a teenager writing his own biopic.
Most importantly, he doesn’t restrict the audience’s emotional connection to just the leads. He makes sure every character feels alive enough for us to connect with them.
With Viswanath & Sons, Venky Atluri takes an even more unusual route. He introduces us to a 42-year-old businessman dealing with parental pressure over marriage, and a 22-year-old girl who develops feelings for him. Adding another layer to this unusual setup is the child of this 42-year-old businessman, who was born through surrogacy.
On paper, this sounds like a story that could easily become uncomfortable or melodramatic. But Venky approaches these characters with maturity, allowing the film to explore relationships, family, age differences and the way different generations look at love and marriage.
Well done, VENKY!
Suriya. The One.
After Karuppu, which was a commercial success, Suriya didn’t hesitate to choose and release a film that is quite a contrast to the usual hero-worship formula.
He shines in the film like he owns it.
Suriya has always been a natural performer, but with this film, he once again reminds us why he is loved by audiences in both Telugu and Tamil cinema.
What an amazing display of performance!
Our contemporary Telugu actors seem to be chasing the Pan-India tag a little too hard. Somewhere in that race, we are getting caught up in over-the-top elevations and scripts designed primarily to look bigger rather than feel deeper.
In the process, some actors are moving away from the core fandom and emotional stories that made audiences connect with them in the first place.
Honestly, Prabhas or Mahesh Babu would have been perfect for a role like this. It would be a dream for their fans to see them step into a character and a film of this nature.
And this makes me wonder if our directors are willing to tell these stories, but our heroes are hesitant to take them up, maybe that’s exactly why Venky Atluri chose Suriya.
Suriya doesn’t seem afraid of stepping away from the conventional hero image.
His choice, his confidence and the way he has backed this film deserve genuine appreciation.
Suriya truly is the one.
Mamitha Baiju & Radhika Sarat Kumar.
If there were a competition between Mamitha Baiju and Radhika Sarathkumar, I’m sure every jury would be scared to name just one winner.
It’s a joint tie.
Mamitha is a Gen Z actress who is already quite popular with her audience. But in this film, she displays her acting powers as if she had been waiting for a role like this.
She plays a woman who has just gone through surrogacy, a young girl who falls for a 42-year-old man, and an innocent woman who wants to chase her dreams and is willing to go to any extreme to achieve them.
She brings different shades to the character without making them feel forced.
And then comes Radhika Sarathkumar.
Ma’am, you are the pillar of this film.
Mother roles are certainly not new to her. But the way she brings innocence, authority and emotional command to the character is something truly special.
And whenever Mamitha calls her “Atthayya,” her reactions, expressions and performance deserve all the accolades and all the whistles.
These two leading ladies didn’t merely support the film.
They led it from the front.
Final Thoughts
Viswanath & Sons is not trying to be a typical commercial film, and that’s exactly where its strength lies.
Venky Atluri takes an unusual premise and turns it into a warm, emotional drama about love, family, relationships, age, and the way different generations look at life.
The generation gap between the leads never becomes a distraction. Instead, it makes us question our own thinking and the way we judge relationships.
Suriya is outstanding. Mamitha Baiju and Radhika Sarathkumar are equally impressive. The performances are the biggest strength of the film, while the music adds another beautiful layer to the emotions.
This may not be a film for people who go to theatres only for hero elevations and loud commercial moments. But if you are someone who enjoys characters, emotions, mature writing and films that make you think, Viswanath & Sons deserves your attention.
For me, this is another step forward for Venky Atluri as a filmmaker.
A beautiful drama. A brave choice. And absolutely worth watching in theatres.
Well done, VENKY!
I would love to rate the film with
Had the second half been as engaging as first, this would have been my second four – star for Venky
3.5/5