Just the other day I was reading an article on indiafm.com about how LUCK and Love Aaj Kal are two potential blockbuster releases and might just revive the ailing Bollywood box-office. However, no such luck for Bollywood, at least not on this Friday. As I pulled in to Sensation Insomnia’s gates—this single screen’s location and socio-economic demographics is the best bet for how a movie might perform—no one was selling tickets in black. When this happens at Sensation Insomnia 70mm, and that too on the first day first show for an action-thriller Hindi film you can be sure that the film has already run out of luck. True enough, as the film begins, rolls, and enters in to the second half you are sure that this is another unlucky film for the box-office.
In the paragraph above, I have used the word “luck” three times, four times if you include the reference to the film’s title in the first line. Why? Because, the director makes the characters go on and on justifying the title and rational of this film by talking and repeating their notions of “luck”. By the end of it you are sick of hearing that word. Anyways, lets get to the film now. To begin with there is no story, only a silly idea Mr. Soham Shah, the writer and director of this film, has about luck. I don’t even want to go in to explaining this concept. Nothing really happens in the first half of the film. Each character is introduced with a little bit of intro, most of the reels are reserved for Sanjay Dutt and Imran Khan though. Musa Bhai (Sanjay Dutt) is a really lucky guy since birth. Even as he and friends decide to jump off from the fourth floor our man Musa lives—he is that lucky. He later becomes a big don in the world of betting. Musa’s claim to fame to this occuputional sector is betting on an individual’s luck. Musa’s chief HR is Tenzang (Danny with eyebrows are visibly drawn with pencil), formerly another lucky guy at the game of cards but later runs of luck when he is taken in to Musa’s team to hunt for other lucky guys and girls whose luck can stand up to that of Musa’s.
Tenzang finds his protege in Ram Mehra (Imran Khan), a bank employee whose US visa is rejected three times, thus, spoiling his plans to go to the US to mint money to repay the 20 crore scam/loss of his father, which was incurred in the stock market. Ram even makes an attempt at stealing from an ATM machine. Apparently, Ram is a bundle of luck and whatever he does he wins. Thus, he is persuaded to enroll in to Musa’s mega-betting game. Similarly, other characters are recruited by Tenzang, however, with not much of a problem. The other characters include Ravi Kisen as Raghavan who is a lucky criminal who survies being hanged as the rope snaps out, Mithun Chakraborty as a retired Major whose wife needs treatment and it going to cost money, and the short Haryanvi girl from Chak De…India! who plays camel races in the deserts of Pakistan. Musa and Tenzang have invited lots of bets on Ram; don’t ask why as there is no reason. Thus goes the entire first half mainly showing episodes of luck for Musa and Ram and how other players are recruited to play this game in Cape Town, South Africa.
The second half begins with these games. Now, some of these players are not happy (the group includes guys and girls from other countries too and many of them seem to understand Hindi!) as they find out that the games include loss of life if you are not lucky enough. What are these games you ask? (i) form a circle and instead of holding each other’s hands you hold a gun to the person next to you and shoot. Each gun has one bullet so if you are lucky you will live otherwise you will die (ii) jump off a helicopter and if you are lucky then you will have a parachutte else you will die…(iii) you are in a cage that will be sunk in to the sea where sharks be present and one of your and tied up along with 300 keys; pick a key that will unlock—if you are lucky you will find the key else be eaten by sharks. At this point, I realized my luck was bad that walked in to this film and didn’t want it to continue this way so I walked out of the theater when I think still 30 mins of bad luck was left on the reels. I never watched Fear Factor and will not watch a film that looks like one.
Sanjay Dutt repeats his bhai act for the nth time, but still the masses like him enough to throw out an applause each 
time he walks in slow-motion with that goti, shades, khurta, coat and a gun. Rest of the cast is just average and there is nothing for Imran Khan here; rotten career choice her this young man. For those are curious about Shruti Hassan will be deeply dissapointed. Yea, she looked hot on those magazine covers when on screen she acting is too plain as though she is reciting lines in a 4th class stage drama. She is given zero-importance as she makes her first appearence a few minutes before the interval. The swim-wear scene comes a few minutes after the interval, but over all there is nothing hot about Shruti Hassan in this film. Her luck was have been bad to have signed this as her debut film! She is okay, but most of the times she looked like Esha Deol, I thought. Mithun Chraborthy is given silly to speak silly wannabe masala dialogues while Ravi Kisen as Raghavan is the only guy who seems to have enjoyed his act. The music is poor.
The biggest problem with the film is that it has no story and to top it off the screenplay is bad. The entire first half could have been finished up in 10 minutes flat. The concept is fine, however, far fetched and idiotic it is it could have been presented well with a solid story with twists and surprises. Nothing. What a waste of money for the produces who took the crew out to South Africa. As I parked the car, I had a conversation with the guy who cuts the parking ticket for me every week about how the audience are able to sense a flick that needs to be avoided. Anyways, the first day first show today was well attended, Sensation’s sofa seats were all full, but the balcony above was semi-full. Oh well, this film isn’t going to change Bollywood’s luck this friday, but hopefully the box office luck will get better. I just cannot understand why our film makers try so hard to ape Hollywood action/thriller flicks, can’t we make a thriller at home with ideas and issues closer to our context? Just give us the basics: good songs, decent story, great comedy to ensure minimum garuntee entertainment and retuns.
Anyways, for now, stay clear of this film and wait for it to cable. For those who are thinking Shruhi Hassan can excite you…forget about it. Lets hope she gets a better offer next time around.
Mr. Inkenti’s Movienomics Verdict: Thumbs Down!
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