Writer Padmabhushan review: A simple story with a lot of heart

A well-made underdog story is always good to watch irrespective of which field it is set in. On the surface, Shanmukha Prasanth’s Writer Padmabhushan may appear to be just another tale of an underdog.

But it packs in some major surprises along the way, particularly the climax which the audiences don’t see coming.

The plot focuses on a middle-class family in Vijayawada. Padmabhushan (Suhas) is an assistant librarian with a huge dream of becoming a famous writer. He has already written and published his first book Tholi Adugu (First Step).

There are scenes where he often daydreams of fans squabbling to get his autograph. However, the reality is different. He gives free copies to those visiting his friend’s salon in the hope that someone will read it.

Padmabhushan’s parents – Madhusudan (Ashish Vidyarthi) and Saraswati (Rohini) – have a firm belief in their son’s abilities. Madhusudan is a clerk in a registrar’s office while his mother is a housewife.

In a turn of events, Padmabhushan suddenly becomes famous with a new book coming out in his name which, apparently, is written by an anonymous person. The person also runs a blog in his name.

Padmabhushan is initially uncomfortable but soon starts revelling in his newfound success. His personal life also undergoes a huge change with his marriage getting fixed.

But then, all these changes suddenly when the blog becomes stagnant and questions are raised about why he stopped writing.

The rest of the story covers multiple aspects. The most important among them is the anonymous person’s actual identity and why he/she is using Padmabhushan’s name.

Also Read: I find people more interesting than books, says Shanmukha Prasanth

Relatable & hilarious

Writer Padmabhushan is relatable even for those who are not aspiring writers. At the very outset, the director makes the viewers identify with the protagonist’s love for books.

Whether it is the scenes of him imagining that his book is a massive success or the scenes where he slips in his book to members of the library along with other library books making it look accidental.

The middle-class lifestyle has an authenticity to it. The family portions between Suhas, Ashish Vidyarthi and Rohini have plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

A good example of this is the scene where the entire family switches from auto to cab just to make their presence felt at a wedding.

The romantic angle between Padmabhushan and Sarika (Tina Shilparaj) begins off on an awkward note but becomes better as the story goes along.

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A particular mention must be made of the scene where the two visit an almost empty theatre. There is a hilarious bit that raises some chuckles.

However, it has to be said that the love story could have been done with more plausibility in terms of how Sarika agrees to marry Padmabhushan.

The second half becomes even better with the introduction of a new character played by Gouri Priya. There is a different angle that the director brings in with this track.

The best part of Writer Padmabhushan is the climax where an important revelation is made regarding a key character. This revelation is intermixed with the film’s opening scene which takes in a government school.

Team : Endhuku Edusthunav?
Me : Emo Vacchesthundhi 🥹
Super Size Thank you Sir🙏. Happy tears ❤️ https://t.co/DUHyhZqyjN

— Suhas 📸 (@ActorSuhas) February 6, 2023

The performances

Director Shanmukha Prasanth is supremely effective in conveying an important message without making it heavy-handed or preachy.

The climax cannot be revealed here for obvious reasons but it definitely adds more depth to the proceedings.

Suhas essays Padmabhushan with a lot of sincerity and is successful in carrying the film on his shoulders.

Also Read: I’m choosy about my characters, says Kiran Abbavaram

The surprise package, though, is Ashish Vidyarthi. He is someone who is generally known for his negative roles. But here, the actor plays an adorable dad which has a good mix of fun and emotions. He makes the character even more adorable with his performance.

Rohini brings a lot of warmth to her part and her performance in the final portions is particularly heartwarming.

Verdict

Despite minor blips, Writer Padmabhushan is worth your time, particularly if you want to take a break from the mega action films which, of late, have become a norm.

It is a simple movie with emotions everyone can relate to.

(Views expressed are personal.)