Baskhar (Dulquer Salmaan) is an ultra-positive but down-on-his-luck cashier at Magadha Bank’s Colaba Branch. He tries his best to make ends meet but never seems to have enough money to meet his daily requirements.
His devoted wife, Sumathi (Meenaakshi Chaudhary), not only loves him unconditionally but also defends his financial shortcomings fiercely. Their son, aware of the family’s poor financial state, often becomes a target of ridicule among his friends.
However, everything seems set to change when Baskhar is guaranteed a promotion by his manager. This promotion would finally resolve all his problems.
Surprisingly, on the day of the promotion, the position is given to someone else. Baskhar is devastated and confronts his manager about the injustice. Instead of addressing his grievances, the manager insults him and threatens to expose his side hustles, potentially leading to his termination from the bank.
Humiliated and in tears, he is forced to apologize and beg for mercy from the very man who sabotaged his career. Pushed to the edge, Baskhar decides to take a step that will change his life forever.
“Lucky Baskhar” is a deceptively named film. The series of cons that Baskhar orchestrates to amass hundreds of crores is meticulously planned and executed, leaving little room for luck. His first con stems from desperation and pain, but he soon realizes that running successful cons not only improves his financial situation but also helps him set right the wrongs in his life.
The film showcases not one but three major cons, each elaborately explained and executed in the most entertaining and gripping manner. These cons serve as smaller, self-contained stories within the larger narrative, keeping the audience hooked. Each con has its own beginning, middle, and end, providing enough intrigue, tension, and fun to captivate viewers throughout and also contributing to the larger story playing out.
The biggest portion of the story revolves around a scam familiar to every Indian. While the character in question is named Harsha Mehra, it is evident who the writer/director is alluding to. It is wildly entertaining to watch the portrayal of the unholy alliance involving bank officials and to imagine how real-life banks might have been complicit in one of the longest-running and largest scams in Indian history.
While fictionalized, this segment is built on a framework of realism, using plot points that feel ripped straight from actual events. This blend of reality and fiction adds authenticity to the proceedings and makes the story even more thrilling. The audience can easily distinguish between the fictional and real elements and this trait of the narrative strangely enhances the viewing experience when it should have done the opposite.
Director Venky Atluri ensures that the film’s conclusion is rewarding for the audience who have invested their time in the characters and story. The ending aligns perfectly with Baskhar’s deceptive and quirky nature, delivering a climax that feels true to his character. The way he pulls off his final feat and its subsequent reveal is a highlight, making the culmination of this disarming film even more enjoyable.
Atluri’s use of editing to create impact and intrigue in the story is noticeable throughout. He often constructs scenes where the protagonist appears trapped, only to later reveal that he had anticipated the problem and prepared for it beforehand. This technique is used throughout the film in different ways, heightening the drama and thrill and then giving the audience fantastic releases to the tension.
Baskhar’s character is exceptionally well-written, as are the supporting characters who play integral roles in his journey. The emotional weight of his interactions with these characters elevates the story, turning what could have been an unbelievable tale of cons into a heartwarming underdog story.
The audience roots for this flawed hero to succeed, and succeed he does. Each interaction and subplot feel meaningful, adding depth and emotional resonance to the larger narrative. There are multiple scenes between characters of dissimilar nature that make you feel exactly how they want you to feel.
Dulquer Salmaan delivers a stellar performance, once again proving his acting prowess. Beyond being immensely likeable, he renders the protagonist with a mischievous charm that fits perfectly with the film’s tone and the character’s traits.
Salmaan masterfully transitions from portraying a man crushed by his seniors and his financial inadequacies to someone who dominates his surroundings, even displaying a frighteningly ruthless streak on not only the people around him but also his wife and friends. His ability to convincingly portray both ends of this spectrum is a testament to his talent and one of the greatest strengths of the character and the film.
Salmaan’s chemistry with Meenaakshi Chaudhary and the ensemble cast adds layers of fun and drama to the narrative. As the film’s narrator, Salmaan also breaks the fourth wall at times, a device that could have felt out of place but is executed so well that it draws the audience deeper into the story.
I watched “Lucky Bhaskar” twice after my first viewing and enjoyed it just as much each time. Everything about the story, execution, performances, and culmination fell perfectly into place for me. While the film avoids introducing any life-threatening or sombre predicaments for the protagonist—thereby keeping the stakes relatively light and the mood upbeat—it still offers enough realism, drama, and thrill to be taken seriously. Dulquer Salmaan and the ensemble cast ensure that whatever minor shortcomings the plot or execution might have are more than compensated for by their captivating performances and undeniable charm.
The world-building and production design of the film deserve special mention as they play a pivotal role in transporting the audience to the era in which the story unfolds. The visual aesthetics are crucial in ensuring the audience’s immersion in the time and place, effectively enhancing the impact of the storytelling in the process.
This is the perfect weekend watch at home, and it might even become one of those films you revisit a couple of times a year when you’re bored with everything else on offer.
Rating: 3.5/5 (3.5 out of 5 Star)
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