Luck By Chance   Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani Director: Zoya Akhtar Starring: Farhan Akhtar, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Kapoor, Isha Sharwani, Hrithik Roshan, Saurabh Shukla, Aly Khan Music: Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy Lyrics: Javed Akhtar Genre: Drama Recommended Audience: Parental Guidance Film Released on: 30 January 2009 Reviewed by: Aakash Gandhi  - Rating: 7.0 / 10 More Reviews and Analysis by PB Critics:     • Feature Review by Joxily John - Rating: 7.0 / 10     • Review by Bhargav Saikia - Rating: 9.0 / 10   Let us know what you think about this review Music Review

Zoya Akhtar's story seems like it has been taken right out of the pages of a Madhur Bhandarkar script. The film tells the tale of two aspiring actors, Vikram (Farhan Akhtar) and Sona (Konkona Sen Sharma). Vikram, who has just finished up an acting diploma, begins sifting through Mumbai hoping to hit the jackpot role. Meanwhile, Sona is a struggler who has been doing miniscule roles for the past few years. She's doing this all under the guidance of her friend/producer Chaudhary (Aly Khan), who promises that he'll give her the big break she's been yearning for. From here, the two players begin a roller-coaster journey that takes them through a maze of highs and lows, all the while entwining themselves in an inextricable bind of friendship, love, and betrayal.

Despite being treated as a serious melodrama, Akhtar's script plays more like a satirical parody of the Hindi Film Industry, courtesy Javed Akhtar's suggestive dialogue. The film portrays most of the Industry as fake and dishonest. It seems to indicate that hypocrisy rules all in the business. One sequence even shows the writer (played by Anurag Kashyap ironically) copying scripts straight from a Hollywood DVD. It was also portrayed that in commercial cinema “cliché with conviction” was alright and that casting always dominates content. Statements like “We're just good friends” always mean “We are more than friends.” Finally, it was mentioned that Supermodels, Miss Worlds, and Miss Universes, were the in-thing and nobody cared for true acting skills.

These are some very strong accusations by the Akhtar family. Fortunately for them, most of it is painfully true. From a story standpoint, we've seen the tale of strugglers in a cut-throat Industry time and time again (most recently in Bhandarkar's Fashion). Despite a strong screenplay and some moving dialogue, Luck By Chance does little to add an extra exclamation point to the familiar tune.

Excel Entertainment is able to make such a suggestive film because it has clearly distinguished itself from the rest of the Industry. Farhan Akhtar has created a niche for himself from which he can comfortably point fingers without anyone pointing one back at him. However, I wish Zoya Akhtar had treated LBC as an out-and-out satire – a hysterically exposing spoof on what commercial Indian Cinema has become today without all the melodramatic tones. Not only would it have been different, it would have been entertaining. Isn't that what Excel's mission has been from the early days of Dil Chahta Hai?

Farhan Akhtar, as Vikram, is brilliant yet again! His suave portrayal of the new kid on the block comes across with stunning clarity. Apart from a strong screen presence, he carries himself especially well in the emotional sequences (i.e. the spat he has with his friend). Farhan is the shining star of Luck By Chance.

Konkona Sen Sharma plays Sona with elegance and beauty. Her fluid naturalism flows through Sona just as it has in all her previous characters. You are able to connect with Sona more so than with any other character and this is where Konkona soars the highest. She's the perfect parallel to Farhan's Vikram.

The film is flooded with supporting characters, all playing a hand in exposing Bollywood's true colors. Rishi Kapoor's Rommy Rolly, as the waning producer, and Dimple Kapadia's Neena Walia, as the star mother of yesteryear, stand out the most. The rest of the cast provides ample support.

Zoya Akhtar's first directorial venture is a success. However, it is one of Excel's weakest films, as it tries too hard to convey a message that has been touched upon many times before. As I mentioned, the makers would have been better suited to change the film's mood from a serious melodrama to a more light-hearted satirical spoof. Nevertheless, it is another feather in the cap of Farhan Akhtar...the actor. I definitely recommend at least one viewing of Luck By Chance.

Aakash Gandhi is Managing Editor and Senior Writer for PlanetBollywood.com. He also freelances for AVS TV Network at avstv.com.