Author – Rajeshwari
Super-rich Mills & Boon hero meets family man of South India, seemingly perfect and disciplined but with his own set of childhood traumas, vulnerabilities and adulthood indulgences — Suriya as Sanjay Viswanath in Venkat Atluri’s Viswanath & Sons is at his endearing best. South cinema of the 2020s has found its family hero.
When Naga Vamsi posted Viswanath & Sons as another Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, he was almost close to the truth.
Sanjay Viswanath is a dream man in his 40s, a successful shooter — an Olympian with a Gold Medal — who prefers to get a surrogate child rather than marry when his mother worries about him. His philosophy is simple — be disciplined with work, respect parents, help people in need but not necessarily announce it to the whole world, work hard and lead a simple life, bordering on boredom. While conforming to the standards of our film hero who needs to bash up goons from time to time, Sanjay manages to be the new-age hero — a green-flag material.
His world goes for a spin when he is forced to track down his baby boy’s surrogate mother, bringing her down to stay at his home. She turns out to be this exuberant medical student Maddy (Mamitha Baiju), who is the exact opposite of him. The rest of the story is predictable in its premise, but with layers that add depth to the story. The non-serious Maddy turns out to be also sensitive and sensible, and in love with a man much older than her.
The film, despite its predictable thread of a story, never lets you down. It is aspiring, entertaining in a clean way, romantic, and engaging. The film works because the director has conviction over his character and, most importantly, stays true to them. The way the story moves forward is effortlessly progressive in the most natural way.
Getting the casting right is yet another feather in Venky Atluri’s cap. Radhika as Nirmala Devi is outstanding. Then there are Raveena Tandon, Nasser.
The film’s vibe gets a GV Prakash touch with songs and background score. Nimish Ravi ensures his camera captures luxury in all its glory. It is, after all, the story of the rich and famous.
Viswanath & Sons is not without its gaps. The film could have done without a few unnecessary scenes, and the story could have done with some intrigue. That said, after a long time, here is a film that is made for the entire family to sit back and enjoy thoroughly and come out with a smile on their face.
Excerpt: Suriya is at his endearing best as Sanjay Viswanath in Venkat Atluri’s Viswanath & Sons, a clean, romantic and engaging family entertainer.
