145. World Famous Lover; movie review

WORLD FAMOUS LOVER
Cert 12A
154 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate sex, violence, infrequent strong language

One hour and 50 minutes is a long time to believe that a movie's main character is a total jerk.
That is precisely how long before I could see any redeeming features in Vijay Deverakonda's writer Gautham.
Initially, writer is a bit of a highfalutin description - his live-in lover Yamini (Raashi Khanna) has walked out on him because he hasn't penned a line in more than a year.
She agreed to fund him after he gave up his job to fulfil his ambition of becoming an author but instead he lazes around all day and watches cartoons.
Indeed, he uses her as little more than a sex object and skivvy before she says she's had enough and is leaving.
Then, after smashing up the house in a rage, he sets about tapping the keyboard.
Kranthi Madhav's film runs the stories he writes in parallel to the meltdown which he suffers after his girlfriend walks out.
However, even during the sub-plots, the characters, also played by Deverakonda, are self-consumed and unlikable.
The longer the movie progresses the more unhinged he becomes and the wilder his hair and beard are left to grow.
By its conclusion, he looks like the proverbial wild man of Borneo.
I digress.
My problem with World Famous Lover is that it doesn't make clear on whose side the audience should be.
It surely can't be Gautham because he is utterly self-consumed but, presumably, it can't be Yamini because the focus of the film is not upon her.
Either way, I became irritated rather than engaged. Oh, and don't get me started on its ludicrous ending.

Reasons to watch: Quirky romantic drama
Reasons to avoid: Doesn't have enough punch

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? Vijay Deverakonda has myriad business interests - including a fashion brand ‘Rowdy Wear’. He is the brand ambassador of food delivery app Zomato,  KLM Fashion Store, Sangeeta Mobiles, Maybaz Ethnic Wear and Matrimonial Website m4marry.com .

The final word. Vijay Deverakonda: "World Famous Lover; movie review World Famous Lover will be my last love story, at least for a while. Within two or three months, you will see my new phase as an actor and as a person. I know what I kind of movies I am going to do in the next two years." The Indian Express

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