When Danny Boyle wanted to cast the lead for Slumdog Millionaire he wanted a struggling Indian actor, one who looked an absolute loser. But he had to cast, Dev Patel from England, his Brit accent notwithstanding, because all struggling actors in Mumbai have six packs and go to gym for four hours a day. Luck by chance’s Vikram Jai Singh (Farhaan Akhtar) is one such struggling actor from an affluent background in Delhi, who comes to Mumbai to try his luck in the movies. He joins an acting school, and learns to ride horses, dance and fight - all essential ingredients of success in Hindi films, as his teacher tells him. He meets and gets romantically involved with fellow struggler Sona Mishra (Konkona Sen) from Kanpur, who has hooked up with a sleazy producer (Aly Khan) in the hope of her major ‘break’, which has been eluding her for the past three years. When superstar Zafar Khan (Hrithik Roshan) quits a film by producer Romy Rolly (Rishi Kapoor) midway, Vikram is cast as his replacement as a result of a sequence of fortuitous events in which Vikram’s cunning and lack of qualms plays a significant part.
Luck by chance is the story of how success in Hindi films is more a function of luck (being in the right place at the right time) and opportunism than straightforward hard work and talent. Vikram’s chance comes out of the blue because of his being at the right place at the right time while Sona struggles from one minor role to another waiting for that one starring role. The film also offers a look into the basis of relationships in the film industry and how they are used and manipulated. It takes aim at several aspects of the film industry – the insignificance of actresses in Hindi films, the cult of the superstar, film glossies, opportunistic superstars who go back on their words, hypocritical corporate financers with false standards, producers who worship at the feet of superstars but don’t bat an eyelid as they exploit a newcomer, flop actors who turn into directors, star kids, star moms etc. It depicts all the flaws of the film industry but does it in a jocund manner, without demonizing the players like a Corporate or turning them into ridiculous caricatures like a Rangeela. So many stars seemed to be laughing at themselves that one wonders if they really have developed such a magnanimous sense of humor or failed to realize that the joke is on them, inadvertently. An example is an interesting sequence where Romy Rolly is seeking a replacement lead for his movie and of the four established real-life actors he approaches, three are star kids and one is a model-turned-‘actor’.
Farhaan Akhtar has a more rounded role in this film than Rock on and he does it adequately, without being spectacular. However he underplays it so much that it is hard at times to separate his Vikram from the Farhaan Akhtar who hosts ‘Oye it’s Friday’. He is cast opposite the excellent Konkona Sen Sharma who brings great depth to her portrayal of the struggler who always talks about and waits for her big break. Vikram might be the protagonist but it’s Sona whose character has a real arc. Dimple Kapadia is excellent as the former star turned starlet-mother (a phenomenon unique to India) – switching from classy to street-nasty and back in a blink. Isha Sharwani does well with her role of the starlet and holds her own in the few steps of dance with Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik Roshan plays the star Zafar Khan with ease and provides some of the best comedy. Rishi Kapoor goes overboard at times, playing too hard for the laughs with his portrayal of the fat producer, which clashes with the general low-key subtleness of the film’s humour. Cameos abound with actors playing both characters and themselves – Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Boman Irani…… although Karan Johar’s appearance and his who-dares-wins dialogue would be more at home in a self-indulgent film awards show than this film.
The characters are human with real and unexaggerated flaws. There are no sudden changes of heart or film-resolving redemptions. Zoya Akhtar’s script and direction are spot on and the film does not drag for even a second. There are some memorable scenes like the opening title sequence, a scene where Vikram goes for his first audition and sees dozens of almost identical looking young men and a scene where the superstar plays with street kids across a glass window. The dialogue is fresh and the humour is contemporary ala Dil Chahta Hai. The music is good and never breaks the continuity of the film.
Luck by chance is a must-watch for its subtle humour, its honest yet light-hearted look at the film industry, its original and satisfactory ending and its good performances. It might not be big on music or dances or action or melodrama but it is an insider’s view of the film industry without any bias or protectiveness. It is a great directorial debut by Zoya Akhtar.
Luck by chance is the story of how success in Hindi films is more a function of luck (being in the right place at the right time) and opportunism than straightforward hard work and talent. Vikram’s chance comes out of the blue because of his being at the right place at the right time while Sona struggles from one minor role to another waiting for that one starring role. The film also offers a look into the basis of relationships in the film industry and how they are used and manipulated. It takes aim at several aspects of the film industry – the insignificance of actresses in Hindi films, the cult of the superstar, film glossies, opportunistic superstars who go back on their words, hypocritical corporate financers with false standards, producers who worship at the feet of superstars but don’t bat an eyelid as they exploit a newcomer, flop actors who turn into directors, star kids, star moms etc. It depicts all the flaws of the film industry but does it in a jocund manner, without demonizing the players like a Corporate or turning them into ridiculous caricatures like a Rangeela. So many stars seemed to be laughing at themselves that one wonders if they really have developed such a magnanimous sense of humor or failed to realize that the joke is on them, inadvertently. An example is an interesting sequence where Romy Rolly is seeking a replacement lead for his movie and of the four established real-life actors he approaches, three are star kids and one is a model-turned-‘actor’.
Farhaan Akhtar has a more rounded role in this film than Rock on and he does it adequately, without being spectacular. However he underplays it so much that it is hard at times to separate his Vikram from the Farhaan Akhtar who hosts ‘Oye it’s Friday’. He is cast opposite the excellent Konkona Sen Sharma who brings great depth to her portrayal of the struggler who always talks about and waits for her big break. Vikram might be the protagonist but it’s Sona whose character has a real arc. Dimple Kapadia is excellent as the former star turned starlet-mother (a phenomenon unique to India) – switching from classy to street-nasty and back in a blink. Isha Sharwani does well with her role of the starlet and holds her own in the few steps of dance with Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik Roshan plays the star Zafar Khan with ease and provides some of the best comedy. Rishi Kapoor goes overboard at times, playing too hard for the laughs with his portrayal of the fat producer, which clashes with the general low-key subtleness of the film’s humour. Cameos abound with actors playing both characters and themselves – Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Boman Irani…… although Karan Johar’s appearance and his who-dares-wins dialogue would be more at home in a self-indulgent film awards show than this film.
The characters are human with real and unexaggerated flaws. There are no sudden changes of heart or film-resolving redemptions. Zoya Akhtar’s script and direction are spot on and the film does not drag for even a second. There are some memorable scenes like the opening title sequence, a scene where Vikram goes for his first audition and sees dozens of almost identical looking young men and a scene where the superstar plays with street kids across a glass window. The dialogue is fresh and the humour is contemporary ala Dil Chahta Hai. The music is good and never breaks the continuity of the film.
Luck by chance is a must-watch for its subtle humour, its honest yet light-hearted look at the film industry, its original and satisfactory ending and its good performances. It might not be big on music or dances or action or melodrama but it is an insider’s view of the film industry without any bias or protectiveness. It is a great directorial debut by Zoya Akhtar.
nicely written. you have not seen any movies after this one or they were not worth the mention?
ReplyDeleteI saw Delhi 6. But missed the first 10 minutes so did not think it fair to write a review.
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