Lucky Baskhar
Sangeetha Devi Dundoo
The Hindu
Venky Atluri, Dulquer Salmaan deliver an entertaining drama
Director Venky Atluri strikes a fine balance between exploring financial scam and relationships in ‘Lucky Baskhar’, headlined by a superb Dulquer Salmaan
Lucky Baskhar, the Telugu film written and directed by Venky Atluri, employs the narrative technique of creating tense moments before a twist, then retracing a few steps to reveal the events that led to it, at sporadic intervals. The first time this happens, it is an indication of what the titular character is capable of. When this technique is repeated, there is the danger of it falling flat. There are occasions when we can pre-empt a twist, but the manner in which it unfolds brings a smile. This relationship drama woven around a financial scam is Atluri’s best work till date and is anchored by a powerhouse Dulquer Salmaan, who shifts seamlessly from a common man struggling to make ends meet to a shrewd banker driven by the need to make quick money.
Lucky Baskhar
Manoj Kumar
Desi Martini, HT Media
Dulquer Salmaan elevates a solid, safe take on ambition
Lucky Baskhar follows the story of Baskhar Kumar (Dulquer Salmaan), a diligent bank employee in late 1980s Mumbai who embraces a morally ambiguous path to gain financial security.
While promoting his latest movie, Lucky Baskhar, director Venky Atluri claimed that one of his biggest strengths is his talent in screenwriting. However, those closely following his filmography would tell you that his ability to assemble a stellar cast is his greatest asset. He once again showcases this strength with Lucky Baskhar.
Lucky Baskhar
Avinash Ramachandran
Avinash Ramachandran Talkies
A terrific Dulquer Salmaan powers this brilliant Venky Atluri film
Venky Atluri spins a fascinating tale involving banking, and scams, and Dulquer Salmaan ensures everything sails smoothly despite hitting a few road bumps.
Legendary American poet Maya Angelou once wrote, “When great trees fall in forests, small things recoil into silence…” Dulquer Salmaan’s latest film Lucky Baskhar is about one such small thing that decided to brave its fears, and find a way to survive when the tree of the great banking scam of the 90s fell. Of course, we have seen multiple iterations of this story through series like Scam 1992 and films like The Big Bull. But what Venky Atluri does in Lucky Baskhar is that he isn’t telling the story that everyone is focused on. He conjures up a story of a man who is caught in the crosshairs and decides to do something about it. Now, it is fictional, but it could have been true. And it is this thin line between fiction and reality that truly makes Lucky Baskhar a terrific watch.