Writer Padmabhushan review: A well-intentioned film that’s written the wrong way

Director Shanmukha Prashanth’s Writer Padmabhushan has successfully created social media buzz owing to its cast and crew, mostly youngsters. It stars Suhas of Colour Photo fame in the lead role.

The movie is produced by Chai Bisket Films, a known name in digital media. The production house ensured that the project got enough attention from film lovers. Let’s check if the young team delivered what it promised:

Padmabhushan (Suhas), a young and aspiring writer, aims to make it big in the world of literature. His love for books is so intense that he takes up a job as an assistant librarian in Vijayawada so that he can spend his day amidst books.

He even takes a loan to publish his first book, the copies of which turn into waste paper rather than best sellers.

Even as Padmabhushan keeps worrying over the failure of his first book, life takes an interesting turn.

His maternal uncle Goparaju Ramana decides to marry off his daughter Sarika (Tina Shilparaj) to Padmabhushan, having been impressed by his successful writings! But how come a budding failed writer turns into a successful writer?

Well, here comes the real twist. An anonymous person keeps writing stories with the pen name “Padmabhushan”. As the stories become widely popular, Ramana mistakes the writer for Padmabhushan.

A shocked Bhushan wonders why someone is writing in his name without his knowledge and helping him gain popularity. He also worries about the consequences he would have to face if and when Sarika learns the truth. So, he sets out to find the anonymous writer.

Questions like who the anonymous writer is and what’s the motive behind helping Padmabhushan form the main plot.

The love keeps getting bigger ❤️

9 premiere shows SOLD OUT for #WriterPadmabhushan 🤗

Book your tickets now and have a great time with your family ❤️
– https://t.co/eMtRuxkxhO

GRAND RELEASE TOMORROW@ActorSuhas @TinaShilparaj @prasanthshanmuk @ChaiBisketFilms @LahariFilm pic.twitter.com/mPQ8TfphSN

— Geetha Arts (@GeethaArts) February 2, 2023

What works and what doesn’t?

Writer Padmabishan is a well-intentioned film. Its makers should be appreciated for selecting such a message-oriented story. They have also succeeded partly in narrating the thoughtful story in a feel-good comedy style.

But the big letdown lies with the narration of the intended message. Writer-director Shanmukha Prashanth often takes a long detour, making the audience wonder where the movie is heading.

In fact, in many scenes, the audience feels like they are watching a web series or short film rather than a feature film.

More work on the screenplay, treatment and characters would have made the movie quite engaging.

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

Thought-provoking climax

However, a thought-provoking climax saves the movie from completely sinking.

The message that the makers of Writer Padmabhushan want to convey is nowhere shown in the trailers and teasers. There is not even a slight inkling of it throughout the movie, and it is put across at the end.

As a result, though it is a good message, the audience will feel that it has been conveyed out of the blue.

Performances & technical crafts

Suhas gets a good role in the form of Padmabhushan. While he is good at comedy, he needs to improve in emotional scenes.

Tina Shilparaj and Gouri Priya are fine in their roles.

Ashish Vidyarthi is the most impressive of all. Rohini also gets to do a meaty role.

Music by Shekar Chandra and Kalyan Nayak is okay.

The editors (Kodati Pavan Kalyan and Siddarth Thatholu) should have kept the film shorter as it appears to be lagging on several occasions.

Final take

Writer Padmabhushan is a well-intentioned, thought-provoking movie. But the amateurish handling of a good story makes it a passable flick.

(Views expressed are personal.)