luck by chance

the term 'underplay' is used very early in 'luck by chance' by the head of an acting institute. he states that underplaying a character never works in bollywood and an actor should always be over the top with his potrayal. zoya akthar spends the rest of the film in contradiciting that statement and proves that subtlety and underplaying can definitely work if used with finesse, tact and clarity. 

'luck by chance' is a fascinating film with a simple story and complex characters. it satirizes bollywood to a superlative extent but still comes out on top because its heart is in the right place. it also marks the debut of a director with vision, humogonous potential and someone who stays clear from the pseudo-real kind of cinema. 'luck by chance' is most simply a breath of fresh air at a time when film-making is getting stagnated.

it's the story of vikram and sona, two budding actors who will do whatever it takes to get them to the top. farhan akhthar completley justifies his selection and plays his manipulating, selfish and charming character with insght and delicacy. he gets everything right and does not overact or underperform. his success at making the audience love his character eventhough he does things that are regarded as villainous firmly establishes the fact that he has remarkable aptitude.

konkona sen-sharma plays her many-layered, difficult to depict character with ease. she also substantiates why she is considered one of the most gifted actresses of her generation.

not mentioning the rest of the cast would be a crime against cinema. rishi kapoor plays the caricatured producer to perfection and his break-down scene shows us not only the depth in the character but also his ability. dimple kapadia is exceptional playing the diva and is very very effective in a confession scene. hrithik roshan, in an extended special appearence is brilliant in playing the star who gets insecure in an elusive way, something that is expressed only through his eyes. juhi chawla and isha sharvani get it right in their respective roles.

the beauty of the film lies in the fact that eventhough the characters are stereotypical, they show their chasm with just expressions and 'underplay'. the performances are top-notch and the inside-jokes are fantastic.

the climax proves that the director is not scared of showing reality on screen even when indian audiences are not too high on not-happy endings. 

'luck by chance' is not cliched, not unreal, not boring and in all a superb package. it's an impressive debut by zoya akhthar...she gives us the kind of cinema we need, the kind of cinema that is appreciated and the kind of cinema that is intelligent. i guarantee that 'luck by chance' will be pure bliss for a bollywood fan.

p.s: srk delivers just one line in the film...and that one line deserves applause.

RATING - 4/5