Watch 'Luck By Chance' for Rishi Kapoor

Luck By Chance
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia
Rating: ** and a half

Luck By Chance starts off with a bang. The title sequence, showing the inner workings of the film industry from the eyes of those who toil behind-the-scenes – the dress men, light men, spot boys, caterers etc – sets the mood right away. The initial scenes that follow are outstanding. Very soon you find yourself well settled in the entire milieu of what's called the Hindi film industry.

Zoya Akhtar makes her directorial debut with a subject she obviously knows too well. Growing up in a family closely connected with the industry, Zoya has evidently observed the nitty-gritties of how the industry functions very closely and has put all that into her first cinematic outing. However, the brilliant start loses steam eventually.

Why? There are two ways of looking at Luck By Chance – A story about the film industry or a story set against the backdrop of the film industry. Most of the times, the film seems like the former: a take on the going-on of an industry, which keeps you entertained. But soon, you start realising that somewhere there should be a story too. There is one actually. Only, it's not too great.

Vikram (Farhan) and Sona (Konkona) are the characters the film revolves around. One's been trying her luck in the industry for three years - fully aware that she has the talent to go the distance - and doesn't mind having an illicit affair with one of her producers who she hopes will give her the big break some day. It never comes.

The other is a Delhi-returned rich boy, who has come to tinsel town equipped with the looks and the build and training in acting from Nand Kishore film academy. He may be less talented than some around him, but is hardworking and smart to work his way around. More importantly, he has the luck factor, which lands him a lead role in producer Romi Rolly's film Dil Ki Aag opposite star kid – Nikki (Isha Sharvani), daughter of yesteryear star Neena Walia (Dimple Kapadia), after hero Zafar Khan (Hrithik Roshan) walks out of the film.

Luck By Chance, really, is the journey of these two. They fall in love, then Vikram gets successful and the newfound fame goes to his head, which leads to the relationship souring. In the end, as opposed to what is seen in most films with similar plots, Sona refuses to take Vikram, now a star, back in her life, choosing rather to lead a modest but content life as a television actor.

The story isn't new by any means. Fame, money and professional rivalry corrupting relationships is what Luck By Chance is essentially about and this aspect has been explored before too, Abhimaan and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman being two similar films that come to mind. 

Of course, what sets Luck By Chance apart is the film industry setting. It has to be said that nothing like this film has given a truer picture of the film industry before. Dealings between producers and actors, power tussles, the struggle to make a mark and gossip all come together to make Luck By Chance funny and real at the same time. But frankly, after a point it gets repetitive. Films with the film industry in the background, like Guddi and Rangeela, went beyond being merely about the industry and told a story worth watching too. Luck By Chance doesn't quite manage to do that.

The performances, though, are top notch. Dimple Kapadia gives one of her best performances. She is amazing with her histrionics. Watch her in the scene where she abuses the editor of a gossip mag. Both Hrithik and Isha Sharvani are aptly cast.

Konkona Sen Sharma is competent, and so is Farhan. However, being the two main characters in the film, they fail to make the kind of impact they were supposed to. More importantly, they fail to rise above the quality that the supporting actors lend to the story. And when an actor like Rishi Kapoor is at his best, it makes the job of the others even more difficult. He is simply outstanding. Take him out of the film, and it'll fall flat on its face. In fact, one entire star to this review can be attributed to the veteran's superlative performance as the hapless film producer.

But in the end, Luck By Chance is Zoya Akhtar's long awaited entry into Hindi cinema. And she seems to have done almost everything right, be it with the script or roping in the biggest stars like Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan in interesting cameos. But unlike Romi Rolly's Dil Ki Aag, which manages to make viewers dance in the aisles, Luck By Chance will not be able to make audiences go crazy, really. At best, it can be termed as an average fare.

Watch it for some really funny sequences and the enigma called Rishi Kapoor.