After Sita Raman, this is a Dulquer Salmaan film that has won Divya Nair's heart.
At a time when OTT and multiplexes are ridden with films on violence, action and horror, this Diwali has a special surprise in the form of Lucky Baskhar.
Written and directed by Venky Atluri (his last film Vaathi was in Tamil), LB is an interesting con drama set in the '80s with a story that keeps you hooked from the first frame.
Dulquer Salmaan, whose last Telugu film Sita Raman was a sleeper hit, plays Baskhar Kumar, a sincere, hardworking cashier at a bank who is facing a CBI investigation for having a whopping Rs 1 crore in his bank account.
How a middle-class bank employee managed to earn so much money in such little time is what Lucky Baskhar is all about.
The story takes us through Baskhar's debt-ridden past and his days of misfortune. Back in the day, his middle-class problems included debts, sponsoring his younger brother's higher education, and younger sister's marriage.
With a monthly salary of Rs 6,000, Baskhar struggled to make ends meet, evading his creditors while still keeping his morals high and putting a smile on his face.
So when the local loan shark Patel bhai chases him in the middle of the street, rips off his pocket only to find it empty, and takes away his scooter, Baskhar makes you feel bad for him.
Later, on the same day when he is denied a promotion at his bank, you notice the circumstances that changed him. Next, you see how he intelligently scams the bank's vault entries to loan money and make profits, thus turning illegal transactions to everyone's benefit.
The story is simple, it's not flawless. There is nothing extraordinary that we haven't heard or seen before.
There are logical interruptions and twists as well, but the characters and situations are so well-written that you enjoy Baskhar's journey just like he wants you to.
Dulquer is endearing as the middle-class bank employee who can't afford an extra vada pav for his family, but ends up spending Rs 65 lakh in a single day simply because his ego was hurt.
When a middle-class Indian's self-respect is injured, the transition can range from a heart attack that collapses you further to you buying a five star restaurant and rolling in a Rolls Royce.
This may not be the first rags-to-riches story or even the last but one of the reasons, I believe conman Baskhar's story will stand out is because he shows you why his heart is in the right place.
Like, on the day he is denied a promotion, when one of his colleagues asks him how he can be so normal, he says: 'If something unexpected happened for 30 minutes, I can't spend the rest of the day crying about it.'
Similarly, a scam is a scam, but when you do it to earn respect for and from your family, the emotion changes drastically. And when you play Robin Hood, helping others as you rise up the ladder, there is a certain goodwill that masks the seriousness of the crime.
Like every con artiste, Baskhar has his ethics too, which he expresses from time to time, establishing his character and goodwill.
When he speaks about leverage, masking the lies, and knowing when to stop and quit, you fall in love with the character.
But he is not flawless and he expresses it well. When Baskhar's wife scolds him that he is a changed man, he rightfully defends himself: 'I am not bad, I am just rich.'
There are several heart-warming moments in the film that distinguishes this con thriller from a regular family drama. For example, Baskhar's relationship with each of his family members, especially his father, wife, and son, is established at the right intervals, keeping you further engaged in the story.
The non-linear style of storytelling works brilliantly, spruced with scintillating music by G V Prakash.
In many ways, Lucky Baskhar reminded me of Special 26 -- where the scam was all about the right timing coupled with a bit of intelligence and a lot of courage. Lucky Baskhar sparingly references the stock market scam of the '90s but explains it beautifully with everyday examples without boring you with jargon.
Dulquer is refreshing to watch as the storyteller with a mischievous grin.
Meenakshi is delightful to watch as Sumathi, Bhasker's wife.
P Sai Kumar, Sachin Khedekar, and Tinnu Anand are entertaining in their supporting roles.
After Sita Raman, this is a DQ film that has won my heart.
If con dramas interest you, you will certainly enjoy watching Lucky Baskhar with your family.
