By Martin D'Souza, Bollywood Trade News Network
As luck would have it, Zoya Akhtar's directorial debut LUCK BY CHANCE, is an offshoot of Sudhir Mishra's KHOYA KHOYA CHAND, which released on December 7, 2007. Mishra explored the underbelly of Bollywood through the journey of his central character, Soha Ali Khan. Here, Zoya, uses her brother, the now established actor Farhan Akhtar, and Konkona Sen Sharma to take us through the machinations of the film industry. In a subtle way, Zoya explores the dark side of film-making; of aspiring starlets, wannabe actors, struggling script-writers, star tantrums, harried producers, failed actors turned directors [all because they have a family business in Bollywood], scheming mothers, and the ever so omnipresent directors and producers waiting to exploit that girl who is desperate for a break in films. In a nutshell, this film is a docu-drama on the film industry and though the attempt is sincere, it falls flat in places. In the beginning, in trying to establish her plot, Zoya uses too much time to explain her moves. There's the Nand Kishore Acting School [read Namit Kishore] she focuses on. The bond between Farhan and his two friends, justifying Hrithik's presence in the film in a 'guest appearance', an unnecessary scene between Manish Malhotra and Rishi Kapoor. I mean, getting all the personalities is fine, but does the script really justify it, especially when you don't want to go overboard where time is concerned. In that respect, the film is a good 20-25 minutes long. The beginning just rambles on until the time a friendship is struck between Konkona and Farhan. That's the time the film really moves forward. Sona (Konkona) is hooked on by a false promise by a producer in the hope of that elusive break. She does bit roles at his insistence hoping that when his film goes on the floor, she will play the lead. Vikram Jaisingh (Farhan), a theatre actor, has moved from Delhi to Mumbai in search of his big break. Sona soon learns that she has been taken for a ride. By chance, she drops the envelopes containing Vikram's photographs with her 'producer friend'. As luck would have it, the photographs reach the right hands. The rest as they say is history. Vikram gets his break, not for a side role, but for the lead. He makes his move with the heroine, Nikki Walia (Isha Sharvani). The press gets a whiff of the story and before his release; the 'dirt' has been splashed. Sona gracefully moves away, rejected a second time. Vikram shifts gears into his newfound stardom. Somewhere he realizes that he misses Sona. But she has made up her mind. It's touching at times and at times, a spoof. It drags, as well as amuses. For an audience fed with a daily diet on the working of the film industry through articles and interviews and 'scoops' from 'sources' not only in film glossies but in dailies as well, this is nothing new. Farhan is maturing into a fine performer. Konkona, somewhere I get the feeling, is repeating her PAGE 3 act too often. She is too talented an actress not to break the shackles of playing a woman wronged much too often. She needs a refreshing new role. Dimple Kapadia as the scheming star mother is wonderful. She brings across her pain of her years as an actress, making sure her daughter, (Nikki) does not make the same mistakes. Rishi Kapoor as Rolly the producer is impressive. Aly Khan as Sona's producer friend is impressive as well. So also Vikram's two friends (one an assistant director and another a struggling actor). But for me, the surprise has been Sanjay Kapoor as the failed actor turned director. He puts zest into the role to make it absolutely real. Somewhere, his own pain as not being able to make it comes across and your heart goes out to him. Commercially, this film will find it tough to break the box office shackles. If you view it as an Art film, you won't be disappointed.
