Review : Superstar

Rating : Above average (3.75/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2008
Director : Rohit Jugraj
Cast : Kunal Khemu, Tulip Joshi, Darshan Jariwalla, Aushima Sawhney, Sharat Saxena, Reema Lagoo, Vrajesh Hirjee, Anjan Srivastav, Zafar Karachiwala

SUPERSTAR : DOPPELGANGER DRAMA

I am not a fan of Kunal Khemu because I totally hated his first film “Kalyug” and thought the second “Traffic Signal” not worth much. However cast as the protagonist in “SuperStar” Khemu finally delivers. It’s not that I blame him for his previous disasters (he was a pretty decent actor even then), but there was something about his earlier ventures which just didn’t click. Happily for us, this one does.

Kunal Mehra (Khemu) is your average struggling actor, finding for now, only 3 second snatches of screen-time, lost amid other extras. His Dad (Sharat Saxena) wants him to get a “regular” job, egged on by the next-door nosy neighbor (Anjan Srivastav). Supported by his mom (Reema Lagoo) and friends, Kunal struggles on. It looks like his persistence has paid off, when one fine day his photograph makes the headlines in every newspaper, and he is touted as the next young superstar, to star in an upcoming film by producer Saxena. However Kunal doesn’t remember getting the photo taken, and has never met the producer!

The truth about the look-alike in the newspapers brings with it disappointment for Kunal, his dream of making it big in Bollywood smashed to smithereens. However fate has other plans . . .

This is a double-role plot (”Mithya” had one too), but isn’t formulaic. What adds to the film are it’s genuinely comic moments – the film pokes fun at Bollywoodian clichés, like the time Kunal’s character refers to his doppelganger as not a “Kumbh-ke-mele” types (for the uninitiated, the 80’s films often had identical twins separated in the Kumbh mela). It’s a breezy watch and it flows. Rohit Jugraj, who’s past projects include ”James”, manages to tell the story with minimum fuss. The film is well directed and nicely paced. The characters are developed believably, except for the half-baked angle of the investigating journalist (Karachiwala). Yes, there are some logical loopholes, if you want to be really nit-picky, but the film is such a pleasant watch, that really, it doesn’t matter.

Khemu must essay two different characters – one strong and determined and struggling, and the other cocky, brash and arrogant. He does well on both, and even manages to squeeze in a little vulnerability in the characters, earning him extra brownie points. He shows a vast improvement from “Traffic Signal”, and exudes a new confidence and bonhomie in this film. Tulip Joshi as love interest Mausam does nicely, although she has fattened up since “Mere yaar ki shaadi”. And Aushima Sawhney as the hard-edged film actress suits her role. Darshan Jariwalla as crafty film producer Saxena is good too. Lagoo and Saxena as the parents manage some of the more poignant scenes in the film really, really well – had me tearing up !

This film has excellent music. From the catchy “Mann tu talbat” to the beautiful “Aankhon se khwab rooth kar” to the funky “Don’t I love or do I love you ?” they all just add to the film.

This is one of the better films, considering that it has no “big” star. And if you all want is an engrossing drama with some innovation and a “hatke” story, this is it.