Luck and beyond

Luck by Chance: Review
Rating : *** and a half

It's been more than 3 months now that I have seen any new Hindi movie. Blame it on so many things and getting into all that merits a different blog all together. As I was switching songs on my ipod touch last week, I came across a song from 'Luck By Chance'(LBC)that reminded me of this surprisingly sharp and witty movie by first timer Zoya Akhtar. I saw LBC more than a year back. And boy, I was impressed. Even though the characters, the story seemed familiar, Zoya, thankfully gets the right twists(for the lack of a better word) and actors to make it work.
And thank god, the writers save us from the caricatures and the scandalizing approach which are apparently the salient features of most Madhur Bhandarkar flicks. The film starts with moving images of behind-the-scene technicians, extras, even the unattended tea cups that hardly anyone thinks about or focuses on while relishing a 3 hour movie. Quite moving. Tracing the routes of its central protagonists, it provides some interesting insights into what really transpires behind the making of a regular 'masala' film. Newcomer Vikram has a relatively easy(read lucky) route to become someone whom even the established star, Zafar Khan(Hrithik Roshan effectively mirroring his real-life stardom) gets insecure about after his just one film. Sona Mishra, on the other hand, has it all right though finds it difficult to find something better than a B-grader and ends up taking up roles in TV soaps.
What also aids the Akhtars here is the strong cast. I can not think of a single actor who was miscast - even Sanjay Kapoor as the film's director isn't bad either. Rishi Kapoor, as the the harassed producer is endearing to the core. Dimple Kapadia, as the "crocodile in chiffon" is superb; wish we could see her more often. The two leads have complex roles here and Farhan, complements his sister's writing well enough to display the range of emotions that his character goes through. But the film ultimately belongs to Sen Sharma. Even though you get a sense of deja vu in watching her play the woman who has been wronged, Konkona gets it so right. Don't mistake her for the new age Meena Kumari - she effortlessly moves you with her no-nonsense stand. I would definitely recommend that you see 'LBC' if you have not yet.It is a bit too long but in the end, it is much more than the sum of its parts.