Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye!

Lucky8217;s Abhay journey from petty criminal to cool super chor is a lark, but Banerji tells it with a sting. It8217;s not all fun and games; it8217;s also shame and pain.

Lucky8217;s lad-hood is spot-on: the antipathy between the son and the father Paresh, in the first of his three roles, the halfresentful half-lustful air of the other woman his father has supplanted his mother with tere ko scooter chahiye na beta, mujhe bol, she simpers, folding a mountainous bra from a pile of clothes she8217;s picked off the line: this could well be the global story of a million boys8217; first intro duction to the all-powerful, all-mysterious mammaries, but that kind of printed salwaar kameez, that sort of cleavage, and that manner of bra-brandishing can only belong to a Dilli ki auntyji . Lucky8217;s mantra8212; kyon, nahin kar sakta kya8217;-which starts out as a dare, becomes the cornerstone of his life, which includes a bachpan ka dost8217; and partner-in-crime Manu Rishi, a seedhi saadhi8217; girl-friend Neetu who keeps him grounded, and Gogi bhai Paresh again, who8217;s perhaps the best drawn character in this film teeming with them-said Bhai is a stage entertainer-cum-chief sucker up of a minister8217;s bigda hua beta8217;-cum banquet hall owner-cum prime fence and fixer: you can8217;t be more Dilli than that.

The film feels stretched towards the end, but that8217;s a minor quibble. Good performances all-round, and for once the not-so-Punjabi Abhay Deol8217;s understated charm is overpowered by a couple of his co-stars, both Manjot Singh, the young Abhay, and Manu Rishi, who plays the best friend-turned shifty foe, are terrific. As is Paresh Rawal, who steals every scene.