The Family Star

Saw the trailers a while back and looked promising !

But the movie was largely a "Meh" affair - the storytelling is messy, director / editor and confused and create a mismatch of romantic - comedy - family drama - corporate politics that the movie ends up not justifying in the basics below : -

• Character development : characters are not fleshed out and looks largely 2D - even the leads! Director / Editor could have cut a few comedy / song sequences and invested to explain the character better (especially the leads since the twist / reveal all seem unnatural instead of organic )
• Screenplay was style over substance and cliche over class / art
• Performances were over the top - this could be a combination of bad character development as well : but I find the acting not impactful

Watch in OTT if you are bored - fast forward would be your best friend!

Honestly the story was pretty simple. They could have come with some unique stories. Taking Vijay deverakonda and Mrunal Thakur as their leads meant the story must have to be really good. The story could have better scenes and could have made more sense if they would have been written with more dedication towards the audience. They would have come up with a better plot but still it was pretty cute story to watch. Really loved Vijay's Character in it.

Some great Telugu movies inspired me were " Hey Sinamika" and "Hi Nanna". Loved these stories as they had some unique catch in them to attract the audience. That's what I felt.

I recently watched "Family Star" and found myself thoroughly entertained. Vijay Deverakonda and Mrunal Thakur have fantastic chemistry, and their performances carry the film beautifully. The music adds another layer of charm, with catchy tunes that set the mood perfectly.

The film has its strengths in the comedic scenes, where Vijay Deverakonda shines. His dialogue delivery is spot-on and genuinely made me laugh out loud. While the story may have some familiar elements, the performances and the heartwarming moments keep it engaging.

Of course, there's always room for improvement. Some dramatic portions could have had a little more emotional depth. But overall, if you're looking for a feel-good film with a talented cast and some genuinely funny moments, "Family Star" is a solid choice. It's the kind of movie that leaves you with a smile on your face.

Govardhan is a young man from a middle-class family, who is shouldering the responsibility of supporting his struggling family. A wealthy girl named Indhu falls in love with him and decides to write a thesis about him and his family's struggles without their knowledge or consent. When Govardhan discovers Indhu's actions, he becomes deeply hurt and decides to break up with her. He also chooses to ignore her, leaving Indhu feeling devastated and desperate. Will Indhu be able to clear his misunderstanding and prove her innocence, or will she be unable to reunite with Govardhan ?

Firstly, I must say that this movie was a major disappointment. The trailers and teasers showed a completely different film, and I was expecting something much better. Secondly, I've reached a point where I'm skeptical of movies featuring Vijay Deverakonda as the lead actor. His acting has become monotonous and unengaging, and I find myself ignoring his films more often than not. The only reason I decided to watch this movie was because of Mrunal Thakur's presence. Unfortunately, even her talent wasn't enough to save the film from Vijay's subpar performance. His acting throughout the movie was average at best, and his expressions lacked depth and emotion. All I could see was a low-budget version of Arjun Reddy, with Vijay rehashing the same alpha-male character that he's become known for. Upon researching his filmography, I noticed that 99% of his films feature similar roles, with little to no range or versatility in his acting. My honest opinion is that he needs to be more selective with the scripts he chooses and work on improving his acting skills. I desperately waited to watch Mrunal Thakur, though that also left me disappointed. After appearing in some of the best films, like Sita Ramam and Hi Nanna, this one is a completely bad script selection. I don't know whom to blame, whether Mrunal or the director of this film. Her acting and chemistry with VD was good, but her character has nothing much to showcase. But I must say that she was a saving grace of the film. I desperately waited to watch Mrunal Thakur in this film, but unfortunately, it left me disappointed. After appearing in some of the best films, like Sita Ramam and Hi Nanna, I thought this one would be a great choice. However, the script selection was completely off. I'm unsure who to blame - Mrunal or the director of this film. Despite her acting and chemistry with VD being good, her character lacked depth and didn't have much to showcase. However, I must say that she was a saving grace of the film, making it somewhat bearable. My first impression of Rohini Hattangadi was a remarkable one. Although I hadn't seen her films before, she left me speechless with her performance, despite having a small role. Her impact on me was more profound than Vijay's, and she looked absolutely adorable throughout the film. She gave her best to elevate this mediocre movie, which was a commendable effort. Jagapathi Babu and Vennela Kishore were also excellent in their roles.

The first half of the film seemed promising, but everything changed when a twist was introduced during the interval. The second half took a completely opposite direction, becoming illogical and nonsensical until the climax. The storyline became increasingly senseless and lacked any connection to reality. It's hard to fathom why a middle-class boy would harass a high-class girl simply because she wrote a thesis about him, and it's equally puzzling that a high-class girl would tolerate such behavior and even hire him at her company. Such toxic films have no place in the cinema. It's difficult to believe that the writer wasn't under the influence of something while crafting this storyline. The majority of the film revolves around Govardhan's relentless tormenting of Indhu, simply because she wrote a thesis about him and his family without their permission. The dialogue is equally appalling, with cringe-worthy and toxic lines that are hard to bear. For example, Govardhan beats up a man who had tortured his sister-in-law, yet he brutally mistreats Indhu, his lover, who wrote a thesis about him and his family in a positive light. On a slightly positive note, the climax was somewhat engaging and heartwarming.

The cinematography of the film is impressive, featuring some enchanting visuals of the United States. While the song choreographies are decent, none of them are particularly memorable. The action scenes in the first half are illogical and defy the laws of physics, reminiscent of a 2000s Tamil film. However, the fight scenes in the climax are somewhat intense and engaging.

The soundtrack by Gopi Sundar is another saving grace of the film. While it may not be an extraordinary or chart-topping album like some of Sundar's other works, all the songs are still enjoyable. However, "Madhuramu Kadha" by Shreya Ghoshal and "Nandanandanaa" by Sid Sriram are particularly noteworthy and worth listening to. The background score is equally impressive, with a soothing quality that is hard to ignore. Unfortunately, the score's beauty is somewhat undermined by the fact that it doesn't quite match the tone of the film, which is unfortunately subpar.

In conclusion, 'The Family Star' is an average masala film with a few notable strengths, including its good music and cinematography. Watch this film only when you don't have any other films to watch.

This movie is a hot mess wrapped in a pretty package. It's like they threw a bunch of stuff at the wall, hoping something would stick, but ended up with a jumble of silly, bad and stale bits that don't quite gel together.

The screenplay is a roller coaster, but not the fun kind. You may get a few moments of laughter, but then you're plunged into scenes so ridiculous or dull you'll wonder if the script was written during a group brainstorm where no ideas were turned down, no matter how nonsensical.

The whole vibe of the film feels like it's stuck in a time warp, clinging to an old-school approach that's more yawn-inducing than nostalgic. And, boy, could they have shaved off some runtime. It drags like a lecture that could've been an email.

Vijay's shines in bits and pieces, but even his charm can't fully distract from the chaos.

Mrunal is not really matching up with Vijay, and her performance feels as if she's stuck on repeat, recycling the same handful of expressions we've seen in her last few outings. The rest of the cast? They're just there, doing their thing, not making things worse but not adding much either.

On the technical front, they've splurged. Cinematography, sets, costumes - all top-notch, making you wish the story and direction had received half that attention. Background score gives you headache and the songs make for a good time to check your phone or go for a snack.

Honestly, unless you've been hyped up by all the marketing or feel the unbearable peer pressure from your mates who can't resist jumping on every movie bandwagon, give this one a miss. It's not worth the sit-through, unless you enjoy critiquing every aspect or need background noise while doing something actually interesting.