‘Writer Padmabhushan’ movie review: Suhas and Rohini are impressive in this heartwarming coming-of-age drama

Tina Shilparaj and Suhas in ‘Writer Padmabhushan’

Writer and first-time director Shanmukha Prasanth wants his audience to believe that Writer Padmabhushan is the coming-of-age story of its protagonist who wants to be one of the best writers in contemporary Telugu literature. In the process, he also packs in a social commentary and pulls a surprise that makes the film, soaked in fun moments until then, moving and emotional. He gets ample support from Suhas who essays the title character and Rohini who plays his mother, to make an imperfect film strike the right notes.

Writer Padmabhushan focuses on a middle-class family in Vijayawada. The protagonist Padmabhushan (Suhas) is an assistant librarian who has written and published his first book titled Tholi Adugu (first step). He daydreams that people will squabble to get his autograph, but in reality, his book has no takers. At his friend’s salon and at the library, he gives away free copies of his book in the hope that someone will read it.

There is a relatable quality with which Shanmukha Prasanth presents the world of Padmabhushan. The protagonist’s love for books is equated to the love that parents have for their children and the love that people of Vijayawada have for Telugu cinema. His father Madhusudhan (Ashish Vidyarthi) is a clerk in a registrar’s office and his mother Saraswathy (Rohini Moletti) is a homemaker. They amiably fend off a pesky neighbour and find immense happiness in saving a few thousand rupees a month.

Writer Padmabhushan (Telugu)

Cast: Suhas, Tina Shilparaj, Rohini, Ashish Vidyarthi

Direction: Shanmukha Prasanth

Music: Shekhar Chandra and Kalyan Nayak

The bitter-sweet tale of Padmabhushan and his family comes alive in everyday humour. The entire episode showing the family switching from an auto to a cab to make their presence felt at a wedding is an example. 

A twist in the tale comes when Padmabhushan’s uncle (Goparaju Ramana) and his daughter Sarika (Tina Shilparaj) hail Padmabhushan for his writing and forge a marriage alliance. The romance between Padmabhushan and Sarika is narrated with laugh-aloud segments, especially in the Navarang theatre scene. 

The mask behind which Padmabhushan is hiding comes off midway and the rest of the story paves the way for his introspection and redemption. A new character is introduced (Gouri Priya) but there are further surprises. 

At the fag end of the film, when a female character says no one ever asked her about her aspirations, it is tough to not tear up. Shanmukha Prashanth ties up the final portions with a scene that takes place in a government school in the opening portions of the film. He delivers a social commentary without making the narrative feel heavy or preachy. To reveal anything more would be a spoiler.

Suhas essays Padmabhushan with sincerity and shoulders the film through its shaky middle portions with his easy flair for humour. In a scene where he suppresses tears when someone is critical of his book, he shows us what a fine actor he is. After Colour Photo and A Family Drama, this film is another feather on his cap. Rohini stays in the background for most part of the film but fills the screen with warmth whenever she is part of a scene. She steals the show in the final portions.

Writer Padmabhushan is not perfect but narrates a heartwarming story with a large heart.