Dibakar Banerjee, director of the cult film(if i may say so) Khosla ka Ghosla, is back with another comedy. Unusually titled Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, it is indeed quite different from the regular bollywood fare.
True, this film isn't as good as Khosla, but it definitely has a lot of things going for it. This film is a splash of colour, and is set in Delhi, just like its predecessor. Dibakar once again succeeds in capturing the essence of this decadent city, and the old-world charm it carries.
The film has its special moments, like the scene where lucky meets the card-seller girl. The innocence and the humanism is not lost, and one can almost feel oneself in the midst of the action.
Paresh Rawal plays three characters, analogous to Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove, and does a fine job. Although his character of Dr. Handa was a little too absolute-evil types, the others showed shades of gray, and were executed well by Rawal.
The dialogue is witty and funny, and resembles elements of the same in Pulp Fiction, one is inclined to think.
The film does lose its way in the second half (the entire vacation episode), the story becomes a bit of a drag, and the ending carries no surprises, but as a whole, the film does well to keep its spectators glued to the screen.
However, i must say, that most of the shortcomings of the film come to light only when it is compared to global standards. If one is talking about bollywood, and the trash it churns out regularly( Dostana, Yuvvraaj), then this film is truly light years ahead in every possible department.
Its a sad truth in Bollywood, that talent dies a poor man. The ones with absolute power in the industry (Amitabh Bacchan, SRK, KJo) are mortified of experimentation, of serving up anything that hasn't been dumbed down to the average IQ of an American, to the Indian audiences.I yearn for the day when independent and original thought is given credence and respect in Bollywood. Agreed, that this film isn't stuff of legend, but its a start, and a symbol of defiance. And that is why it should be given even more credit than it deserves.
Stylish, Witty, and Entertaining, this film is a must watch for all the people out there who have been suffering brain damage at the hands of Karan Johar, RGV, Yash Chopra and co. I give it an 8/10, mostly due to the brilliant first half of the movie. On the whole,well done Dibakar moshai!
