Star (2024 film)
| Star | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Elan |
| Written by | Elan Thava Guru (dialogues) |
| Produced by | B. V. S. N. Prasad Sreenidhi Sagar |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ezhil Arasu K |
| Edited by | Pradeep E. Ragav |
| Music by | Yuvan Shankar Raja |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
| Budget | est. ₹12 crore[1] |
| Box office | est. ₹24 crore[2] |
Star is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Elan. The film is jointly produced by B. V. S. N. Prasad and Sreenidhi Sagar under Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra and Rise East Entertainment. It stars Kavin in the lead role, alongside Lal, Aaditi Pohankar, Preity Mukhundhan and Geetha Kailasam. The film follows Kalai, a youngster, who pursues his dream of becoming an actor while facing various obstacles.
Initially, Harish Kalyan was cast in the lead role, but he was subsequently replaced by Kavin. The film was announced in August 2023 under the tentative title Kavin's Next, and the official title was announced a few days later. Principal photography commenced in June 2023. It was predominantly shot in Chennai, and filming wrapped by mid-February 2024. The film has music composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, cinematography handled by Ezhil Arasu K and editing by Pradeep E. Ragav.
Star was released worldwide on 10 May 2024 in theatres. It received mixed to positive reviews from critics and audience, with praise for Kavin and Lal's performances, cinematography, Yuvan Shankar Raja's soundtrack and background score but criticized Elan's screenplay and writing. The film was a commercial success.
Synopsis
[edit]The story begins with Kalai, a passionate and ambitious young man from a middle-class family in Chennai. Kalai dreams of becoming an actor in the Tamil film industry. His father, Pandian, a skilled still photographer, deeply believes in his son’s potential and becomes his pillar of support.
Kalai’s family faces financial constraints, but Pandian still invests his savings to enroll Kalai in acting workshops and auditions. Kalai faces repeated rejections, which slowly begins to affect his confidence. His mother and younger sister start doubting his career choice, urging him to settle for a "secure" job. Despite the setbacks, Kalai refuses to give up. One day, Pandian secures an opportunity for Kalai to audition for a promising film project. Kalai works tirelessly for the role, but at the audition, he faces humiliation when the casting director dismisses him for lacking "star qualities." This moment becomes a turning point in Kalai’s journey.
Frustrated but not broken, Kalai starts networking in the industry. He encounters Sita, a struggling scriptwriter who also shares dreams of making it big. They develop a friendship that later evolves into a romantic relationship. Sita’s belief in Kalai rekindles his self-confidence.
Kalai decides to participate in a talent competition where the winner is promised a leading role in a feature film. He gives his best performance, but the competition is rigged, and the prize goes to someone with strong industry connections.
Feeling defeated, Kalai contemplates giving up his dream. At this point, his father gives him an emotional pep talk, reminding him of the sacrifices they have made and urging him to persevere. This motivates Kalai to reinvent himself by learning new skills, including scriptwriting and directing, alongside acting.
Kalai and Sita collaborate on a short film showcasing his acting and her storytelling. The short film becomes a viral sensation online, catching the attention of a prominent filmmaker, Rajendran, who offers Kalai a supporting role in his upcoming project. As Kalai starts working on Rajendran’s film, he faces a new challenge: an established lead actor, Arun, feels threatened by Kalai's talent and tries to sabotage him. Arun spreads rumors about Kalai’s lack of professionalism, leading to tensions on the set.
However, Kalai handles the situation with grace and maturity, proving his dedication and winning the trust of the director and crew. His performance in the film earns critical acclaim, and Kalai gains recognition as a promising actor.
The movie ends on a high note with Kalai landing his first lead role in a big-budget film. His family, especially his father, celebrates his success with immense pride. Kalai thanks Pandian for believing in him when no one else did.
The final scene shows Kalai visiting Sita on the set of her first directorial project, hinting at their growing partnership both personally and professionally. The movie concludes with an inspirational message about chasing dreams and staying true to oneself despite obstacles.
Cast
[edit]- Kavin as Kalaiarasan "Kalai" Pandian
- Lal as Pandian, Kalai's father
- Aaditi Pohankar as Surabi Kalaiarasan, Kalai's wife
- Preity Mukhundhan as Meera Malarkodi, Kalai's ex-girlfriend
- Geetha Kailasam as Kamala Pandian, Kalai's mother
- Lollu Sabha Maaran as Pandian's friend
- 'Raja Rani' Pandian as Surabi's father
- Dheeraj
- Niveethitha Rajappan
- Deeps as Gulabi, Kalai's friend
- Maadesh S.
- Revathi
- Sanjay Swaroop as Sunny Verma, an actor
- Sai Prasanna as mechanical Siva senior character
- Kadhal Sukumar as actor-turned-ice cream seller (cameo appearance)
- Vetrimaaran as himself (cameo appearance)
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]In June 2019, Harish Kalyan, who had a successful collaboration with director Elan after Pyaar Prema Kaadhal (2018), was reported to collaborate with the latter for his next directorial. Amma Creations, headed by T. Siva, would reportedly produce the venture.[3] On 5 December 2020, the project was confirmed by the director, during an interview. Yuvan Shankar Raja was revealed to have been brought on board to compose the score, in his second consecutive film with the director after Pyaar Prema Kaadhal. Yuvan was reportedly paid 6 crores for his involvement.[4] The venture's production house, Screen Scene Media Entertainment Pvt Ltd, made a public announcement on 12 December. The official title, Star, was announced with a promotional poster that day.[5] In July 2021, reports claimed that the venture was shelved, due to creative differences between Elan and Kalyan.[6]
In August 2023, Kavin, who was praised for his performance in Dada (2023) and a long-time friend of the director, was reported to replace Kalyan for the lead role.[citation needed] On 27 August, B. V. S. N. Prasad, header of Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra, who made his Tamil debut with Asvins (2023), and Rise East Entertainment announced that they would be jointly producing the film.[7][8] On 10 September, Aaditi Pohankar and Preity Mukhundhan were announced both playing lead actress roles, with both pairing opposite Kavin, for the first time.[citation needed] The film marks as Aaditi's second Tamil film after the 2017 film Gemini Ganeshanum Suruli Raajanum. She was announced to play the role of Jimikky, the love interest of Kavin's character, Kalai.[9]
Filming
[edit]Principal photography began with the first schedule on 1 June 2023 in Chennai.[10] Halfway of filming was completed by 30 January 2024.[11] Principal photography wrapped by 17 February.[12]
Music
[edit]| Star | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 4 May 2025 | |||
| Recorded | December 2023 – February 2024 | |||
| Studio | U1 Records, Chennai AI Watan Studios, Dubai High Tide Studios, Germany AM Studhgu bgvc HD ios, Chennai | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 25:06 | |||
| Language | Tamil | |||
| Label | Sony Music India | |||
| Producer | Yuvan Shankar Raja | |||
| Yuvan Shankar Raja chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Star | ||||
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The music and background score is composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, in his maiden collaboration with Kavin; second with Elan after Pyaar Prema Kaadhal (2018).[13] The audio rights were acquired by Sony Music India. The first single "College Superstars" was released on the occasion of Rajinikanth's birthday (12 December 2023).[14] "Vintage Love", "Melody" and "Jimikky's Ghazal" , the second, third and fourth single, released on 4, 20 and 25 April, respectively.[15][16][17] The album, consisting of 10 songs, released on 4 May.[18] The song "Oru Naalil" from Raja's Pudhupettai (2006) which did not feature in the film was re-used.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shooting Star" | Maathevan Thiyagarajan | Adhitya RK, Yuvan Shankar Raja | 1:16 |
| 2. | "Butterfly" | Vignesh Srikanth | Adhitya RK | 3:01 |
| 3. | "The First Rain" | Elan | Yuvan Shankar Raja, Priya Mali | 2:45 |
| 4. | "Star in the Making (Orchestra Version)" | – | – | 2:00 |
| 5. | "Vintage Love" | Kabilan | Yuvan Shankar Raja | 3:27 |
| 6. | "College Superstars" | Madhan Karky | Yuvan Shankar Raja | 3:17 |
| 7. | "Jimikky's Ghazal" | Hafeez Hoshiarpuri, Niranjan Bharathi | Neha Girish | 3:06 |
| 8. | "Melody" | Elan | Yuvan Shankar Raja | 2:16 |
| 9. | "Star in the Making" | Elan | Yuvan Shankar Raja | 2:01 |
| 10. | "Harmony of Hearts" | – | – | 1:56 |
Release
[edit]Theatrical
[edit]Star was released on 10 May 2024 in theatres.[19][20]
Home media
[edit]The digital streaming rights were acquired by Amazon Prime Video and the satellite rights by Zee Tamil.[21] The film had its digital premiere on the streaming platform from 7 June 2024.[22]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]Roopa Radhakrishnan of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote "This quality of the film invariably leads to Star being lifelike, even when it's exaggerated".[23] Janani K of India Today gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "However, it ended up as a showreel more than a emotional and inspiring documentation of his life".[24] Manigandan KR of Times Now gave 3/5 stars and wrote "However, it refuses to rise up to that point and just ends being an entertainer".[25]
Anusha Sundar of OTTplay gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Star would have been undoubtedly that one film which could have broken Tamil cinema’s dry spell. Nevertheless, the film still creates some magic and belief".[26] Bhuvanesh Sundar of The Hindu wrote that "It is only the memory of these few moments — and the inert good intentions of the film — that makes Star shine even when it falls".[27]
References
[edit]- ^ "Makers Of Kavin's Upcoming Tamil Film Star Increase Budget To Rs 12 Crore: Reports". News18. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ "'Star' box office collection day 1: A record start for Kavin at the box office". The Times of India. 11 May 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
- ^ "Harish Kalyan to collaborate with Elan once again for his next project?". The Times of India. 5 June 2019. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Harish Kalyan to have multiple looks in his movie with Elan and Yuvan". The Times of India. 5 December 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Harish Kalyan resembles Thalapathi Rajinikanth in his next titled 'Star'". The Times of India. 12 December 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Harish Kalyan's 'Star' with director Elan shelved?". The Times of India. 7 July 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Kavin's film with director Elan titled 'Star'". The Times of India. 28 August 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (27 August 2023). "Kavin replaces Harish Kalyan in Elan-Yuvan Shankar Raja's film; title to be revealed soon". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "'Star' makers launch first look of female lead Aaditi Pohankar". The Times of India. 29 January 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Dada star Kavin begins shoot for his next". OTTPlay. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Director Elan satisfied with the progress of Kavin-starrer 'Star'". The Times of India. 30 January 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (17 February 2024). "Shoot of Kavin's Star wrapped up". Cinema Express. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (27 August 2023). "Kavin replaces Harish Kalyan in Elan-Yuvan Shankar Raja's film; title to be revealed soon". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "'Star' first single 'College Superstar' unveiled from Kavin's film on the occasion of Superstar Rajinikanth's birthday". The Times of India. 12 December 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (4 April 2024). "Vintage Love song from Kavin's Star is here". Cinema Express. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (20 April 2024). "Kavin takes the 'Remo route' for Star's fourth single 'Melody'". Cinema Express. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (25 April 2024). "'Jimikky's Ghazal' song from Kavin's Star out". Cinema Express. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ "Kavin's 'STAR' gets a release date in May". The Times of India. 19 April 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (19 April 2024). "'Dada' fame actor Kavin's 'Star' gets a release date". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Star movie OTT partner revealed - Digital rights of Kavin-starrer have been bagged by THIS streaming platform". OTTplay. 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Kavin And Aaditi Pohankar Starrer 'Star' Set For Its OTT Premiere". The Times of India. 7 June 2024.
- ^ "Star Movie Review: A Well-Acted Tale About Nurturing Dreams That Keeps You Invested". The Times of India. 10 May 2024.
- ^ "'Star' Review: Kavin, Elan's coming-of-age film falls short of excellence". India Today. 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Star Review: A Film That Promises To Inspire But Ends Up Being Just An Entertainer". Times Now. 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Star Movie Review: Kavin uplifts this well-intentioned film with sweet surprises that keeps you at bay". OTTplay. 10 May 2024.
- ^ "'Star' movie review: Kavin and Lal shine, but the film only glitters occasionally". The Hindu. 10 May 2024.