Kevin in a scene from ‘Star’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

There’s a lot of heart in what filmmaker Allen wants to convey. star, It’s a moving story that gives its actors ample room to shine, with several heart-touching moments one can draw parallels to, and some evocative tunes composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja. But sometimes, what we do in the name of love might not be the way something needs to be loved, and the way Alan decides to pursue his ideas, and the way Where Yuvan’s score is used, this is the case.

Let’s first find out what constitutes most of Mars. star – The intention with which Yuvan’s tunes are used. The soundtrack has the composer playing to his strengths and has shades of what many call ‘classic youth’. But star This is that rare film where most of the punchlines, the build up to the punchlines, the follow-through, as well as the organically written moments are overshadowed by the heavy background score that prevents us from getting completely immersed in the world of the protagonist.

For example, when Kalai (Kavin), a college-goer, comes on stage disguised as a woman; What he says in that particular scene is one of those mantras we utter carelessly, which later comes back with deeper meaning, but a melodramatic score tells you what to feel. It really gets you when Kalai enacts a scene from a historical play in front of his father (even the calmness in actor Lal’s eyes is enough to make you cry) and the actor brings out his talent wonderfully. Presents a character performing, yet you want the score to drop only when the scene arrived at the right moment. If anything, such embellishments become momentarily sarcastic when intended to evaluate someone’s acting.

The use of music reflects a larger issue going on here; From beginning to end, you feel a certain dissonance between what the film wants to feel and how it proceeds with its writing, which only becomes apparent with aspects like the score.

star It was marketed as a heartfelt ode to the arduous journey undertaken by most aspiring actors to reach the limelight, and we see Kalai transform from a doe-eyed child to a mustache-less Bharathiar (a standout early scene). Hui turns into a torn man. Between choosing your passion and the harsh demands of middle-class life.

But the realities that overturn Kalai’s dreams have nothing to do with the real-world issues that plague most aspiring actors in tinsel town, and more to do with the uncertainties that life throws at you. Unfortunately, even on that end, star This is hardly a new effort.. When a film resorts to gimmicks to boost emotions, you also suspect a lack of confidence in the writing. There is a ‘stunning’ soundtrack that fills you with immense emotions, but only for what it means to Tamil music fans and not how it is used in the film.

This journey of Kalai is the backbone to support the romantic subplot we get with the later entries of Meera Malarakody (Preeti Mukhundhan) and ‘Jimikki’ Surbhi (Aditi Pohankar). But a disturbing feature in both the stories is how someone breaks into the other’s room, locks someone in the auditorium, or simply moves into someone’s house, all in the name of ‘love’. As with most films in this genre, these romantic partners exist only to aid Kalai’s love-hate relationship with the acting, but interestingly – and this is to Allen’s credit – we see this. We also see that women bring this up as a concern.

Kavin and Preeti Mukundan in a scene from ‘Star’. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Now, amidst all this, what really touches you is the tenderly written conflict between father and son. The advice the father gives before Bharathiyar’s play, the photographs he takes of his son with cut-outs of Tamil film stars, the tough decisions he takes at the tough end of phone calls… the magic that happens then When this happens, writing meets great actors. star I pay tribute to all those who dream, those who stand by them and the art of acting.

It’s only the memory of these few moments – and the film’s idle good intentions – that make star Shine even when you fall.

Star is currently running in theaters