Costume designer turned director Roshni Dinaker’s debut film My Story is set in Portugal. While its picture post-card visuals leave you in raptures, the romantic story packaged within does little to touch your heart.
Jai (Prithviraj), an aspiring actor, realises his ambition with his first film. For the young man from an ordinary village, it’s the crystallisation of a dream that goes back to his childhood days.
Over time, Jai becomes a distinguished actor winning accolades, but he is tormented by guilt for something he has not done right while he was an emerging actor. Hoping to atone himself, he arrives in Lisbon, where his debut film was shot.
Scripted by Sankar Ramakrishan, this romantic story shifts between the past and the present, taking viewers through the lives of Jai and Tara, (Parvathy) — the star opposite whom Jai was paired on his debut.
In fact, it’s more about Tara, who tries to break free from the fetters that bind her to the producer, David Eapan (Ganesh Venkataraman) — her fiance. And as expected she falls in love with Jai.
My Story carried great expectations, more so since it brought together onscreen Prithviraj and Parvathy — only the second time after the acclaimed Ennum Ninte Moideen. While RS Vimal’s story stood out with its poignant moments and brilliant writing, My Story stumbles due to weak writing.
Venkataraman’s David is not well crafted. Painted as the villain, Venkataraman, a good performer, has very little to do.
Besides, a love story stands on emotional moments — the yearning for one another, accompanied with a fear of losing a loved one. We don’t find that here much. Did Tara fall in love with Jai just to escape from David? What about Jai, who addresses her initially as ‘Madam’ and then gets to like her company. Did he feel strongly enough for Tara to let her go?
However, the film entertains and that’s because of the performance of the lead pair. Prithviraj as the older Jai — salt and pepper look — impresses. Parvathy, the terrific performer that she is, juggles between two roles and make-overs — a young and an older character. I loved the young Hima — vivacious and cool.
As for the fringe characters, you don’t remember them. Some silly moments mar the pace of narration — the scene where Jai and Sofia enter a pub where a crowd is watching a soccer match on telly is drawn out. Earlier a song sequence crops up at the most inopportune moment.
My Story is predictable and fails to impress.
