‘Lucky Baskhar’ has been released in theatres with a bang. Although initial reports suggest it will trail ‘Amaran’ in terms of openings, it is far ahead of the other major release of the week, ‘KA’.
Telugu Funda’s reveal of the basic plot:
Baskhar Kumar, a man of modest means, is a cog in the machine of Magadha Bank in Bombay. It is early liberalization days. When financial desperation pushes him to the brink, he makes a choice that will forever alter his destiny. The film traces the ripple effects of his decision, revealing the human cost of a desperate act.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Performances:
- Dulquer Salmaan: He outclasses himself in the titular character. You are not bored of him no matter how many frames he fills, scene after scene.
- Meenakshi Chaudhary: She is prominently there in the first 30 minutes and keeps coming back later. The saree look, the wifey role didn’t suit her.
- Sachin Khedekar, Srikanth Maganti, Tinnu Anand and others at the bank: Very good. They are not cardboard characters who talk platitudes.
- Sai Kumar and the others outside the bank: Aptly cast.
- Cameos: From Manasa Chaudhary of ‘Bubblegum’ fame to social media star Krishna Kamal, everyone delivers.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Technical Output:
- The cinematography: Nimish Ravi, take a bow! He Bollywoodizes the frames with surgical precision.
- The music: GV Prakash Kumar’s BGM may not be out of the world, but it is never out of place.
- The production design: Again, A-class.
- Others: Sithara Entertainments lives up to its ever-growing stature.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Merits:
This reviewer’s biggest fear while watching genre movies is that they fail to live up to the genre’s demands and rules. They might become generic. ‘Lucky Baskhar’, fortunately, is bona fide. Usually, films conceived around the moral fall of the male lead tend to use all kinds of silly justifications for his actions. ‘Lucky Baskhar’, written and directed by Venky Atluri, steers clear of cliches. Its narrative keeps soaring, and, in the second half, the film actually turns more bona fide.
Many filmmakers realize that they have to up the creative game in the era of well-researched OTT shows from Amazon Prime and Netflix. Their realization doesn’t translate into skill, though. Venky Atluri is not only aware but also capable. He did do his research and it shows in how he portrays the workplace hierarchies, dynamics, formalities, technicalities, etc.
Baskhar Kumar’s ‘balupu’ registers so well when he does something in a fit of rage. An average film would have shown him visit a bar and pay a sex worker after she entertains him.
What promotion at the workplace and salary hikes mean to Baskhar, what his son’s self-esteem means to him – everything has been narrated with diligence.
The tussle among Sumathi and her family of orientation is not routine. It is deeply aware of the dynamics within Indian families.
There are plot conveniences but they are absolutely minimum.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Demerits:
Those of you who have watched international shows with similar themes might still like ‘Lucky Baskhar’ but not be bowled over by it. If you expect financial con-man films to be beyond what they have achieved, this is not for you. But if you are conscious of Telugu film standards, ‘Lucky Baskhar’ will undoubtedly impress you.
Telugu Funda’s Verdict:
‘Lucky Baskhar’ is stunningly executed. It is also written tightly. In Telugu, at least, you don’t find such movies with no loose ends come out often.
Rating: 3.5/5
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