Vishwanath And Sons has been coming in for a great deal of flak ever since it started streaming on Netflix the other day. Netizens are criticizing the Venky Atluri directorial on several grounds.
Criticisms that emotions feel forced or artificial in places, the second half is draggy or overstuffed, the plot is weak or predictable in spots, and some subplots (including those involving supporting characters) feel underdeveloped or contrived. Viewers reported washed-out visuals, a white cast or dull look in parts (compared to the theatrical version), lack of HDR/Dolby Vision support, and specific glitches. Some attributed this to carelessness by the makers/Netflix and called for quick fixes.
Suriya's performance has been viewed in a negative light, with only Mamitha Baiju and Radhika Sarathkumar coming out unscathed.
Comparisons with the Malayalam blockbuster, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, are also palpable. "Venky Atluri needed surrogacy, a rare bone marrow disease, a mother’s death, an extramarital affair, a father’s second family and child, and much more to deliver a somewhat emotionally engaging age-gap romance. Meanwhile, (Mollywood director) Girish AD needed nothing more than a few old audio cassettes and a neighbourhood to make one of the finest age-gap romances in the country," a movie buff wrote. Vishwanath And Sons, however, was a theatrical hit. It didn't do well in Tamil, but was a hit in Telugu.
