Vishwanath and Sons : Kumbhi Baagam for 160 Mins

Major Takeaways:

1.Surya holds the film together alongside Radhikaa, which falls off like a domino.

2.Another Mamitha performance that seems overboard and cannot emote where needed. She fills the role, though. Someone tell her it's not Premalu.

VAS is Venky Atluri's next after a successful outing with DQ in Lucky Bhaskar. With that being said, I had some hopes going into the film. The film disappointed me for the most part. Sanjay Viswanath is a successful generational wealth holder and an Olympic shooter in his 40s who is yet to be married, which worries his mother, Nirmala, meticulously helmed by Radhikaa. So, how Maddy Mamitha holds up in the proceedings forms the crux of the story.

To begin with, the film had "terrible writing", with scenes acting up like Sundara Travels' infamous bus scene, covering up the weaknesses in the script. Be it the manner in which romance was established, how surrogacy is established to the audience in a comic manner, which in reality enables the bourgeoisie class to establish their authority, or how EMA was normalised at multiple instances throughout the film. Without even getting into the political correctness of the film, the film forgets to handle human emotions in a humane way. Mamitha's character is thrown into turmoil, for which she is shown as someone who takes everything lightly, had me boiling up.

Sanjay Viswanath can shoot, fight, and cry with elegance, and Surya does carry the role with ease. But somewhere along the film, the role establishes itself to be self-centered. Be it scenes of George or some more in a similar manner, it makes it appalling, to say the least. In the later part, he and Nasser joke about flying to Thailand (who is old and is married?). How is EMA justifiable? Doesn't it ick them when they write dialogues that do so? Even Raveena Tandon has such dialogue.

Mamitha Baiju is yet to come out of Premalu, I guess. I see no difference in the performance she does. For the charm she carries, I would honestly love to see her in better roles. Radhikaa was neat and clean, but still, to accept an EMA relationship is easy for someone to have billions in earnings, I guess. No complaints otherwise. (I mean, Rajiv Menon telling her he went to some other lady only after his love faded towards her, and her standing still, felt more than ick.)

Thanks to GV for these songs, helping me step out when needed.

TL;DR:

Terrible writing that is supported by Surya/Radhikaa's performance. Toxicity presented as wholesomeness. A film that feels breezy, over-the-top, and aesthetically presented, but doesn't strike a chord as it is unrelatable.