Over the weekend, I watched ‘Family Star,’ starring Vijay Devarakonda, on Amazon Prime. The film reminded me of ‘Gita Govindam,’ a personal favorite featuring the same hero-director combination with Parasuram. However, unlike ‘Gita Govindam,’ which had feel-good elements, ‘Family Star’ lacked that charm. The casting of Mrunal Thakur was a good choice, as she was the standout element in the movie.
The film seemed to aim for a similar theme to ‘Gita Govindam,’ targeting family audiences, but it lacked the soul of its predecessor. While ‘Gita Govindam’ had a scene that always evokes strong emotions, either its comedy or romance or music, ‘Family Star’ failed to create such impact. The screenplay didn’t provide strong enough reasons for Mrunal’s character, a smart and successful CEO, to fall for Vijay’s character, who came across as egoistic and short-tempered, often lacking understanding of others.
The director seemed to get lost in portraying Vijay as a superstar, which was not the case in ‘Gita Govindam.’ Directing star heroes is challenging, and I believe the director missed an opportunity, not just in this film but also in his previous work with Mahesh Babu. I hope he gets another chance with a star hero and succeeds.
Overall, “Family Star” is a pleasant movie that can be enjoyed leisurely, especially for its good songs and the acting of the lead actors.
