Lucky Lakshman Review

'Lucky Lakshman' was released in theatres today. In this section, we are going to review the film.

Story:

Lakshman (Sohel Ryan) is a simple and innocent college-goer who gets wooed by Shreya (Mokksha), a rich kid who loves his artless persona. When a junior named Madhu woos Lakshman, differences crop up between him and Shreya. What was thought to be a breezy platonic affair with Madhu turns out to be problematic for Lakshman. A break-up follows. This is when Lakshman decides to change the gear.

What does Lakshman do now? What does life teach him? What happens to Shreya after the break-up with him? Answers to these questions are found in the second half.

Analysis:

'Lucky Lakshman', directed by AR Abhi, begins with the titular character entering a cafe and blankly staring into thin air for hours on end. The cafe's inquisitive owner (Sameer) comes to him and questions him about his curious behavior. Lakshman starts narrating his chequered past, right from his high-school days when his economically backward father (Devi Prasad) struggled to fulfill his low-budget wishes. To add insult to injury, a girl he had a crush on for two years turned out to be a dangerous one.

His childhood experiences perhaps shaped his psyche as he grew up. In the Engineering college campus portions, we see Lakshman assume a slightly timid body language. He stays away from girls until the most beautiful girl -  Shreya - takes interest in him. Life goes on smoothly, unless when he is at home with his much-hated father. The dialogues between the duo exhibit simplicity. The scene where Lakshman rescues his girlfriend from an embarrassing situation is written and executed nicely.

The characterizations, the love track, and the thinking of today's youngsters have been fleshed out adequately. The second half assumes a different form, with content focusing on Lakshman's unconventional pursuits on the career front. His 'chaddi' buddies join him. The comedy portions should have been better. The scene where a rural woman declares that she expects her future husband to be ever-so-ready to rear livestock was unnecessary. The comedy around the business of matrimony is a good idea.

The film conveys the message that family discords can be resolved with empathy and sympathy. The climax scene involving Sohel and Kadambari Kiran is packed with strong emotions. The arc of Lakshman's character comes into its own here. The heroine, too, has got an arc of her own. Devi Prasad's moving character is enhanced by his effective acting.

The film should have done away with a couple of routine elements like college campus ragging. Raja Ravindra's MLA character could have been written better.

As the performances go, this one is a solid one from Bigg Boss Telugu finalist Sohel Ryan. He is confident in the role of a go-to youngster whose charms and comic timing accentuate the overall appeal of the film. Anup Rubens' background music is well done. I Andrew's cinematography is a plus.

Producer Haritha Gogineni's team ensured that the film could be shot in 28 working days.

Verdict:

'Lucky Lakshman' is a well-written package with a rainbow of emotions. The multi-genre film makes for a family watch. The comedy should have been better, though.