Even Vijay Deverakonda can’t save this film!
Vijay Deverakonda’s films are closely tracked for his choice of stories. And so it is with World Famous Lover, touted to be an intense romantic love story that is directed by Kranthi Madhav. The film, backed by senior producer K.S. Rama Rao, has four leading ladies romancing Vijay.
Gautam (Vijay Deverakonda) and Yamini (Raashi Khanna) are in a live-in relationship. Gautam quits his job and decides to write a book but faces a severe case of the writer’s block. Yamini feels ignored and breaks up. Gautam then starts writing a love story about Seenayya, a coal miner. Gautam sees himself in Seenayya. In this story, he attracted towards his new boss Smitha (Catherine) and neglects his wife Suvarna (Aishwarya Rajesh). He writes another story where he is a business executive in Paris and falls in love with a woman pilot (Izabelle). He compares his life with the stories.
Kranthi Madhav made his mark with his first two films, Onamalu and Malli Malli Idi Rani Roju, which were critically acclaimed. In World Famous Lover, he attempts to tell the story of a writer’s anger, emotional turmoil and struggle. The writer puzzles over the story of his life and the stories he is writing.
While this sounds good, Kranthi Madhav doesn’t quite manage to project it on screen. The first half is okay, but it all goes downhill when the film moves to Paris. Also, there a visible emotional disconnect between the first pair, Vijay and Raashi Khanna. The director portrays the protagonist as very good person but when his girlfriend wants to break up he behaves like Arjun Reddy.
The Seenayya episode which involves Vijay and Aishwarya Rajesh is the highlight of the film and the characters are lively. And then there is the second half which drags interminably.
When it comes to performances, Vijay Deverakonda once again shows why he is considered one of the most talented actors around — and he does it three times over with different characters and different looks. There is no doubt that he lives any role given to him, but sadly there is not much in World Famous Lover that he can do.
Aishwarya Rajesh is the clear winner among the four leading ladies. Her stunning performance brings the entire episode featuring her alive. She fits the role of the miner’s wife pefrectly. Raashi Khanna mostly appears sad but she is good. Catherine Tresa as the woman boss is impressive. Izabelle is just okay. The cinematography is good and Gopi Sundar’s music is average.
World Famous Lover is a boring lover and director Kranthi Madhav fails to lift the film. Vijay Deverakonda and Aishwarya Rajesh are the only highlights. Quite a few things are missing, especially the emotional connect.