Film Review : Luck By Chance

Last Thursday I accompanied my sister for an ad film shoot: something to do with Chandrika soap (don’t laugh now, I hear it’s really popular down South). And no sir, I didn’t go all ballistic over film shooting & star gazing (Mamta Mohandas, the main lead). Don’t you know we uber cool Mumbaiites are much above all this…unless it’s Salman Khan prancing around. That too, shirtless.

Anyway continuing with the story…

On one side, we had the biggies cooling their heels in their very luxurious vanity vans and on the other, some 20 odd extras consisting of men and women in their early 20s sat on plastic chairs, lay on itchy grass under the scorching sun, fanning themselves with (mostly useless) daily tabloids. On enquiring, this is what I found out.

They usually get paid Rs. 500 for a 10 hour shift

They come from all corners of the country

Some, from well-to-do families. Some, leaving successful business behind. And one, just couple of hours before her wedding.

The common factor? High aspirations.

And this scared the shits out of me. Coming from a protected & materialistically sufficient background, the closest I have come to experience the true meaning of a ‘struggle’ is in the dictionary. Honestly, I don’t think I have the balls to survive such struggles, where sincerity and hard work barely hold any weightage and ‘hope’ seems to be only sahara. I spent half the night evaluating the reasons as to why someone would be willing to let go of everything for an acceptance in the ruthless Hindi Film Industry. A profession where the success rate is barely 3 out of 100. Is the glamour bug that infectious? Is the lust for fame so lethal?

Bang! Two days later, Zoya Akhtar (unknowingly of course) somewhat sorted my thoughts with her directorial debut Luck By Chance.

Now Luck By Chance story-wise isn’t hatke. In fact, it’s a mesh of numerous Bollywood stories we read in the Page 3 section or hear from our industry buddies and then pass around as gossip. What makes it stand out though, is its treatment. Cynical, right from the word go. And the best bit is, it stays this way till the very end. Star kids, casting couch, superstar tantrums, helpless scriptwriters, corporate interference, copycat directors, affairs, empty promises, manipulation, envy, crowning glories of the past stuck in their present, the never ending schmoozing; practically everything associated with apna Bollywood is here and brilliantly enacted by the cast.

Konkona Sen, as a struggling actress who is making do with sidey roles and sleeping with the owner of Pinky Productions, hoping to get her big break – is very convincing (as usual); although I felt there was something missing in her character. Maybe more screen time would have helped.

Farhan Akhtar, the other main lead, to me was the only guy who appeared imperfect. Just like the amiable acting class guru corrects his student Vikram Jaisingh (Farhan) during a session, "Good, par tuhmari problem hai ki tum apna character bahut underplay karte ho", I felt that Akhtar Jr. played his on-screen character (a wannabe super star, charming his way to the top, a sly selfish fucker with awesome kismat) a little too delicately for taste.

But the most impressive of the lot; the jolly-cum- helpless at times-cum mostly manipulative producer (Rishi Kapoor), his astrology-inclined trophy wife (Juhi Chawla) and yesteryear diva (Dimple Kapadia), obsessed with her young daughter’s career.

The much hyped super star guest appearances are fun. And Mr. Vivek Oberoi, kindly sack your hairstylist. It stinks.

Dialogues are crisp and full of sarcasm. Excellent picturization of Sapnon Se Bhare Naina. On the whole, a well-made film and therefore a must watch.

And before I end, keeping the cynicism in place – Would it have been possible for debutant Zoya to convince the A-listers for an appearance in her film without her brother’s handy connections?