Luck by Chance (2009)

75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(7,033 ratings)

A Bollywood starlet and a struggling newcomer are brought together by kismet, working their way through the Hindi film industry as romance blossoms and their lives are forever changed. Arriving in Bombay with stars in her eyes and dreams of success, Sona has the luxury of a rented apartment, and… More A Bollywood starlet and a struggling newcomer are brought together by kismet, working their way through the Hindi film industry as romance blossoms and their lives are forever changed. Arriving in Bombay with stars in her eyes and dreams of success, Sona has the luxury of a rented apartment, and passes the time in the company of her loyal friends. Everyone has a dream in this city, and as Sona works hard to make a name for herself on the big screen, Vikram leaves his parents' Delhi home and sets his sights on the city. Vikram's no fool; he has a way of getting what he wants, and when he meets Sona, the sparks start to fly. Meanwhile, superstitious producer Romy Rolly is developing a potential blockbuster designed to launch the career of 18-year-old Nikki, the daughter of '70s-era superstar Neena. Headlining the film is Rolly's biggest star, box-office heavy Zaffar Khan. When things start going south on Rolly's film, Vikram is called in for an audition. One audition is all Vikram needs in order to make a big impression, and before long things are looking decidedly brighter for all involved. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Zoya Akhtar
Written By: Zoya Akhtar
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 30, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Mar 17, 2009
Studio: Adlabs Films

Critic Reviews

Kyle Smith, New York Post
Bursting with the usual colorful pop music numbers and lighter-than-a-soap-bubble quandaries, the film is a typical Bollywood entry, not likely to win over many new converts.
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times
Luck by Chance is an appealing tale of two would-be actors looking for movie stardom.
Maitland McDonagh, Miss FlickChick
Poised somewhere between an outright art movie and a mainstream Indian feature, [this] behind-the-scene look at the hopes and shattered dreams of aspiring Mumbai movie stars could as easily have been called "What Price Bollywood?" or "Run, Vikram, Run."
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Akhtar makes her points about the film industry and celebrity with impressive, intelligent dramatic restraint and subtlety.
David Chute, L.A. Weekly
An enjoyable but ultimately toothless inside-Bollywood dramady.
Frank Lovece, Film Journal International
The Player meets All About Eve in this seriocomic satire of the Bollywood film industry%u2014by a first-time director whose collaring of over a dozen major Hindi stars for cameos speaks well of its biting accuracy.
Matthew Nestel, Boxoffice Magazine
If anything, a film like this should compel us all to linger a little longer through the credits to acknowledge the no-name extra and the sandpaper-handed carpenters.