Two stars shine here, says Rashid Irani in review of A Star is Born

Apart from performing most of their songs live on camera, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper share a sizzling on-screen chemistry.

She’s a multiple-Grammy-winning pop diva. But does Lady Gaga have the dramatic range to portray the complex character alluded to in the title? Likewise, can actor Bradley Cooper, a three-time Oscar nominee, marshal his storytelling skills to fashion a notable directorial debut?

An aspiring young songstress leaves no stone unturned as her career blossoms under the mentorship of an ageing, alcoholic Country-and-Western rocker.

A STAR IS BORN

Direction: Bradley Cooper

Actors: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper

Rating: 3.5/5

Happily the answer to both these questions is a resounding yes. The story of the often-filmed bittersweet romance is familiar. An aspiring young songstress (Lady Gaga) pulls out all the stops as her career blossoms under the mentorship of an ageing, alcoholic Country-and-Western rocker (Bradley Cooper). Next, the hard-drinking superstar’s career rapidly nosedives even as his protégé rockets to stardom.

Not surprisingly, the couple’s tumultuous relationship suffers a further setback with the love of her life fighting an ongoing battle with addiction, depression and a self-destructive streak. Despite her inevitable sell-out to the soul-sapping music industry, their love remains constant to the very end.

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper share sizzling on-screen chemistry apart from performing most of their songs live on camera.

An emotional roller-coaster, the updated A Star Is Born heralds the birth of two major entertainers: actor-writer-director-singer Bradley Cooper and the truly astonishing Lady Gaga.