Fairly Entertaining

By Movie Talkies, 29 November 2008 3 / 5

Dibakar Banerjee's second film, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! have some of same chutzpah and the energy of his Khosla Ka Ghosla, but does not have the recall value of his debut venture, which continues to delight with each repeated viewing. The ensemble cast of Khosla Ka Ghosla and its seemingly simple plot really raised the tempo of that film. A lot of that is missing in Oye Lucky, where the acting honors have to be shared between Paresh Rawal in a triple role, Abhay Deol and newcomer Manu Rishi. The whole beauty of Khosla Ka Ghosla was the ingenuous manner in which the common man takes on the land sharks. There is a lot to enjoy in Banerjee's second venture but at the end of the day, it is about a petty thief with delusions of grandeur. It has its quota of charm, but at no point of time during the film, does the audience engage with the protagonist Lucky, or even identify with him. His dare and cheek is enjoyable but it really doesn't touch one. The film never really explains satisfactorily why Lucky becomes Lucky the petty thief, and to be fair to the director, it was probably never the intention of the director. All that they show is this very precocious kid, Lucky, who suddenly grows up to become this much wanted thug. The film relates his story, from his dysfunctional childhood, to his meeting with Gogi bhai (Rawal's second role, his first was as Lucky's sardar father). His third role in the film is as the very respectable vet, Dr Handa, who Lucky meets later in the film. Banerjee begins his film from the point where Lucky is captured by the cops and is given a hero like treatment by the cops, who have called a press conference to showcase their latest catch. The film ends with Lucky making his way out of the clutches of the cops and walking away a free man. In between is encapsulated the life of this thief, how he moves from strength to strength till he is finally undone by his own arrogance, Gogia, Handa and his partner in crime, Bangali. What is brilliant captured in this movie is manner in which Banerjee captures Delhi, its denizens and the lingo of the place. The film has been very well written, specially the dialogues which are authentic to the core. Banerjee's masterly hold on his story and his dialogues hold is very much in evidence all through the movie. He is supported very well by his cast of players. Abhay Deol is superb in the role of Lucky. He has a certain boyish charm which goes very well with the character of Lucky. He gives a seamless performance as the conman. It is natural, and he hardly ever goes wrong anywhere in the film. He is very well supported by Paresh Rawal, who is not quite in the best of forms in his triple role. A good experiment, Rawal's characters have a very promising introduction but unfortunately do not really live upto the promise. But despite that, he does display his prowess, in bits and pieces, in all three roles. Archana Puran Singh, who plays wife to Handa, does a superb take off on a certain brand of Delhi housewives. The actress, with her very expressive style of acting and her impeccable sense of timing, is a treat to watch in a small cameo. Another very well etched and well enacted role is that of Bangaali, played by newcomer Manu Rishi, who is very promising as Lucky's partner in crime. Neetu Chandra as Lucky's love interest too does a good job as well. The film's USP is definitely its screenplay and dialogue and Abhay Deol. There is a certain kind of tongue in cheek humor in place as well through the movie as well. It expresses itself in the dialogues and certain sequences in the movie. Banerjee's keen insight into the human mind and its foibles is also evident in this movie as it was in his Khosla Ka Ghosla. If one compares this film to that one, then definitely it falls short in terms of entertainment, substance and acting. But on its own, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! has a certain kind of charm which is quite effective.

A Racy Score

By MovieTalkies.com, 21 November 2008 3 / 5

After the success of Khosla Ka Ghosla, director Dibakar Bannerjee comes back with his second feature, Oye Lucky! Lucky! Oye!, produced by UTV. This film too is based in Delhi, just like the previous one. But his protagonist in the film is a conman, called Lucky, played by Abhay Deol. The other highlight of the film is the triple roles played by Paresh Rawal in the movie. The film's music has been composed by Sneha Khanwalkar, but quite a few people have contributed to the lyrics including Dibakar, Manu Rishi, Kanu Behl and Amitosh Nagpal. There are, in all, five songs in the film, all of which have a distinctive folk flavour as well. All the songs of this film are a part of the background, just as in Dibakar's earlier film. The title track, 'Oye Lucky' has a rustic Punjabi feel to it. The flavour is heightened even further by Mika Singh's rendition of the number, which has been written by Banerjee, Rishi and Behl. Mika gives the song his all as he invests it with a lot of energy and fun. That he is enjoying the entire experience of singing it, is clearly evident. This title track and its remixed version, are definitely one of the highlights of the film's music. This number has all the makings of a 'Chak De Phatte' (Khosla Ka Ghosla). It may well outdo the earlier song in its success, though. The second number on the album, 'Jugnu', too carries forward that same Punjabi element of the title track. The track has been written by Rishi and Behl and sung by Des Raj Lachkani and party. It is as authentically Punjabi as they come. But it has been garbed in Western arrangements to give it a more contemporary feel. In its remixed version, the song should make a good dance number. The folksy flavour continues onto the next number, 'Tu Raja Ki Raj Dulari'. But this time the composer deserts Punjab and uses the haunting melodies of Rajasthan. The number is sung by a young singer called Rajbir, who invests the song with just the right amount of feeling. This is a traditional number written by Mange Ram, which has been given a slightly contemporary twist by Khanwalkar, in the manner is which she has arranged the song. 'Superchor' is the next number on this album. This is a number which should prove to be a riot if picturised well. Sung by Dilbahar, this number has been written by Dibakar, and Nagpal. It is a rocking number and should do well as a dance number. It has some Punjabi rap elements as well, all of which add to the song's fun and racy quotient. The best thing about the song is the way the lyrics have been fashioned, straight out of life itself, or so it seems. This is a number with great potential to be a chartbuster. The final number in the album, 'Hooriyaan', has Dibakar and Nagpal collaborating together to pen this one as well. The song has been sung by Brijesh Shandilya and Himani Kapoor and is a celebratory number. This too is a number which should fare better if picturised effectively on screen. It replicates the boisterous fun element of a Punjabi baraaat. The singers have done a competent job with this number. A lot of the music's success will depend on the success of the film. Even though a majority of the songs have a distinctive Punjabi/North Indian flavour, they have it in them to be popular on their own as well. But undoubtedly, the film's success will help boost them further. Khanwalkar's score is apt for the film. There is hardly a slow moment in any of the songs, all of which capture the fun and boisterous elements perfectly. Musically, too the songs have been well composed, even though there is little in way of variety in the album as all the five numbers are very similar in tone. The mood remains upbeat all through, without skipping a beat.

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