Mani is too loud in The Film Star

Paresh C Palicha feels that The Film Star is loud and coarse. Post YOUR reviews here!

When the tag-line of a film says 'the story of a real star' you expect a bit of reality in the story or at least in the treatment. But, then, it's folly to hope for realism in a film that has Kalabhavan Mani in the lead because the actor has created a niche for himself with his over the top acting and playing larger-than-life characters. So it is in his latest release The Film Star directed by Sanjeev Raj, scripted by Suresh Babu and co-starring Dileep.

The story is about Nandagopan (Dileep), who has struggled for many years to get superstar Sooryakiran (Kalabhavan Mani) to read his script. When the meeting finally happens one night, the star is in a foul mood and behaves rudely with Nandan, who abandons the idea of making the film, but leaves the script behind. Sooryakiran, who always boasts of coming up the hard way, reads the script later and is so moved by it that he decides to make the movie.

Nandan's script talks about villagers who have become refugees in their own land due industrialisation and

cheating by local politicians. One of the villagers, Comrade Raghavan (Thalaivasal Vijay), even dies for the cause. The film shows Sooryakiran making Nandan's (who has disappeared after their meeting) dream project, overcoming the hurdles put in the way by a caucus of politicians led by a headstrong minister played by Devan.

The Film Star moves back and forth between the shooting of the film and the events in the film, which makes it tedious and difficult to keep track of events. There is hardly any distinction between Sooryakiran the star and the real man -- he takes on the local police, politicians and even a minister with equal ease.

Dileep is subdued in what could be described as an extended cameo. He manages to avoid making a caricature of his role as a guy with a hearing aid and an amputated leg. Thank goodness for small mercies.

There is no leading lady as such. Rambha appears as herself in the beginning with Mani, and Muktha appears as Dileep's sister.

Suraj Venjaramood and Salim Kumar do their customary comic act but contribute nothing substantial to the story.

On the whole, The Film Star may have noble intentions but ends up being loud and coarse.

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