A movie that not just borrows its concept but also shamelessly copies a few sequences from the highly praised French-Georgian movie ‘Tzameti’ (meaning 13), ‘Luck’ stretches the bizarre to its limit.

Mafia king pin Kareem Musa (Sanjay Dutt) takes the game of betting to an altogether different level by involving humans as betting objects who are made to fight their own luck to survive. Every year his trusted aide Tamang (Danny) assembles for him in South Africa, 20 participants handpicked from across the globe who have a proven record of extreme luck. Betters across the globe put their money on them through Musa’s syndicate. During the new season, amongst the participants are Ram (Imran) a white collar job youth who is hell bent on earning big money to compensate the huge fraud his scamster father was reason for, Ayesha (Shruti) who has her own personal agenda, Retd. Col Singh (Mithun) who desperately needs money for his wife’s operation, Shortcut (Chitrashi) a Pakistani camel racer girl who dreams of buying a Lexus with the prize money and Raghav (Ravi Kissen) a serial murderer. What happens after these participants are put into extremely dangerous life taking games of luck and who manages to win the big jackpot amongst them forms the rest of the film?

Luck begins with an exciting opening sequence that gets your heart in your mouth watching a blindfolded Dutt cross the many railway lines with trains running around in fast speed. Soham Shah shows marvelous progress as a technician with Luck. He succeeds in getting you all hooked throughout the first half. However, in the second half the pacing drops in between but then picks up yet again towards the before climax. Soham and Rensil D’Silva’s screenplay strikes the perfect balance between a slick action thriller and a mass entertainer. Dialogues are worthy. The movie may have its share of criticizers who need to understand that it’s a different genre altogether and that it should not judged with the same parameters of a realistic movie or a feel good entertainer. Luck is edgy things. Soham also scores big points in his casting of the veterans. It is almost after 20 years that the trio of Dutt-Mithun and Danny has come together for any movie. They were last cast together in Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988). However, the climax could have been more effectively shot and culmination slightly less over the top. Editing and Camerawork is outstanding. Salim-Suleiman’s music is racy and goes perfectly with the movie. Amar Mohile’s background score is effective. Hari Dwarak’s sound design is admirable.

Amongst the actors, sadly the young team disappoints whereas the veterans shine big time. Imran Khan though earnest, is most of the times straight-faced. Kamal Haasan’s daughter Shruti Haasan has a striking screen presence but needs a crash course in dialogue delivery. Sanjay Dutt has achieved a mastery of sorts of playing the big-hearted ‘bhai’ and here too he is in his safe zone. Dutt appears super chilled out and enjoying himself. Mithun Chakraborty is immensely impressive. Danny is a scene-stealer in many sequences. It is great to see the veteran actor back in top form in a very meaty role. Ravi Kissen is terrific. Chitrashi Rawat is good. Snita Mahey playing Dutt’s team member is super hot.

On the whole, ‘Luck’ shouldn’t be missed at any cost. Spare few drawbacks of romance quotients and dragging penultimate sequences that aren’t too straining to resist.

But it’s a real ‘Luck’ for Bollywood buffs who had no big enthralling-edge seated thrillers post-Dhoom series.