‘VISWANATH & SONS’ IS A FILM THAT LIVED UP TO SURIYA SIR’S FAITH: DIRECTOR VENKY ATLURI
Tamil star Suriya’s latest film ‘VISWANATH & SONS’, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Venky Atluri, features Mamitha Baiju as the female lead. Presented by Srikara Studios and produced jointly by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas, the film hit theatres on August 14, 2026.
With its natural humour, heartfelt emotions and relatable family drama, ‘VISWANATH & SONS’ is receiving an overwhelming response from audiences. The film has crossed the ₹150 crore gross mark worldwide within just four days and is continuing its successful run.
In a recent interaction with the media, director Venky Atluri shared his happiness over the film’s success and spoke about Suriya’s faith in the story, the writing process, the film’s art work, Trivikram Srinivas’s reaction, Mamitha Baiju’s casting and several other interesting aspects of the film.
How does it feel to receive such an overwhelming response for ‘VISWANATH & SONS’?
I am extremely happy. The response has been phenomenal and far beyond what we expected. It is truly gratifying to see audiences embracing the film with so much love.
What was Suriya sir’s reaction when he first heard the story?
Suriya sir immediately liked the story. In fact, he was looking for a family-oriented film, and he had mentioned that to me. I already had this story ready, so I narrated it to him. He really connected with it.
He felt that we should tell the story honestly without unnecessarily adding comedy or commercial elements. That is why we were particularly careful with the climax. We also made sure that no character was compromised in the process.
Suriya sir watched the film a few days before its release. He was very happy because what he had believed in was exactly what he saw on screen. I feel very happy that we could live up to the faith he placed in the story.
You are being praised for having the strength of writing seen in Trivikram Srinivas’s films. How do you feel about that comparison?
Mani Ratnam sir and Trivikram sir are two of the biggest inspirations behind my decision to enter the film industry. So, being compared with Trivikram sir is a great honour for me.
I also understand the responsibility that comes with such a compliment, and I will work even harder to live up to it. I particularly love Trivikram sir’s ‘Nuvvu Naaku Nachav’. The dialogues are entertaining and humorous, yet they convey profound truths about life. That film inspired me tremendously, and I enjoy writing in a similar space.
How did the story of ‘VISWANATH & SONS’ originate?
Initially, I wanted to write a story around a relationship involving a significant age difference. If a person reaches the age of 40 without getting married, there has to be a strong reason behind that decision. The story evolved around that idea.
I believe that people are not inherently bad. Circumstances make them behave differently. That is one of the central ideas we tried to convey through the film.
I conceived this story back in 2022. At that time, I did not write it keeping Suriya sir in mind. Once he liked the story, we made certain changes to suit his body language and screen presence.
The art work, particularly the house set, has become one of the highlights of the film. What kind of homework went into creating it?
Our production designer Banglan, cinematographer Nimesh and I sat together and discussed the visual design extensively.
When we thought about the house, we did not want it to be merely spacious. We wanted it to feel fresh and different. At the same time, it had to reflect richness and grandeur while retaining a sense of novelty. We worked closely on achieving that balance.
What was Trivikram sir’s reaction after watching ‘VISWANATH & SONS’?
Trivikram sir really liked the film. Since he is involved in the production of films made under the Sithara Entertainments banner, he watches almost all the films associated with the banner.
Usually, after watching a film, he suggests small changes or additions. But in the case of ‘VISWANATH & SONS’, he did not suggest any changes. He simply said that the film was very good. That meant a lot to me.
How important was the editing process in shaping the film?
In my view, every film becomes better on the editing table. We should not feel that everything we shoot necessarily has to be part of the final film.
If we give the editor the freedom to make the best decisions for the film, the output will definitely improve. We followed the same approach with ‘VISWANATH & SONS’, and the editing played an important role in shaping the final product.
The film was shot in Tamil, but the Telugu version is currently generating higher collections. What is your take on this?
We shot the film in Tamil keeping Suriya sir’s market in mind. Compared to the Telugu states, Tamil Nadu has fewer theatres, and there is also a difference in ticket pricing. I feel that these factors have contributed to the difference in the initial collections.
However, Tamil films generally have longer theatrical runs. We saw the same thing happen with ‘Karuppu’. I believe ‘VISWANATH & SONS’ will also have a strong long run in Tamil Nadu and eventually deliver substantial collections there.
How did Mamitha Baiju come on board?
After watching ‘Premalu’, I felt that Mamitha Baiju would be perfect for this role. She also has a good command of Tamil.
To perform comedy effectively, an actor needs to have a strong understanding of the language and its nuances. Mamitha proved that she had exactly what the role required and did complete justice to the character.
What is the reason behind continuing to make films with Sithara Entertainments?
My relationship with the Sithara banner goes beyond money and agreements. It has evolved into a bond built on trust.
They believed in me and gave me opportunities, and I would love to continue making more films with a banner that has placed such faith in me.
Family films are once again witnessing strong theatrical collections. What do you think is the reason?
There was a time when films across different genres were being made regularly. But over the last few years, the number of family-oriented films has reduced considerably.
That is why, whenever a genuinely good family film comes along, audiences are eager to return to theatres. I believe the response to ‘VISWANATH & SONS’ is a reflection of that audience appetite for wholesome family entertainers.
