Good Luck Sakhi

Story: Sakhi is known in her village as ‘bad luck Sakhi’ due to the misfortune she seemingly brings to whomsoever comes in her path. What happens when two men play catalysts to changing her destiny?

Review: Award-winning director Nagesh Kukunoor of Hyderabad Blues, Iqbal and Dor fame made his directorial debut in Telugu with Good Luck Sakhi. Those well-versed about his films were excited when the announcement was made that the film will be a sports drama. There was also hope given the fact that a woman is at the centre of this tale. However, what Kukunoor delivers is subpar both in terms of story and technicality.

Sakhi (Keerthy Suresh) is a 25-year-old who hails from a little village. She is seemingly the personification of a black cat because people in her village believe she brings bad luck to whoever crosses her path. Her family has tried to marry her off five times but failed because the grooms keep meeting unfortunate accidents. Chirpy and apparently unaffected by all this, Sakhi goes about her life with not a care in the world. She also seems to have an affinity to ‘golis’, both the playing and shooting kind.

Goli Raju (Aadhi Pinisetty) is her childhood friend, someone she used to play marbles with (hence the name). He goes by Rama Rao now after the late NTR and is a theatre artiste who hopes to make it big someday and is currently the superstar of their zilla. Soori (Rahul Ramakrishna), is another childhood friend who doesn’t seem to understand the word ‘no’ and consistently keeps hitting on Sakhi. In front of his wife (Divya Sripada), no less. Colonel (Jagapathi Babu), an ex-Army man randomly turns up at the village to set up a sharp-shooting academy. Given Sakhi’s affinity to golis, Raju recommends her to try out and the rest is history.

Good Luck Sakhi meanders and stretches like the mithai that Raju and Sakhi favour. It might be sweet to taste (or rather, watch) but ends up being nothing but empty calories. First the film takes its own sweet time pursuing the intentions of Colonel, despite giving away the story in the promotional material. Then it sets up tension between Soori and rest of the main cast but that also soon takes a back-seat. Sakhi hails from a simple and sweet family that really has no issues with her pursuing a profession in sports. Raju might feel envious at times but even he tries to keep a lid on it. So, despite all that, when women are often termed as ‘emotional and hysterical’ in professional environments, it’s odd that Kukunoor plays into that trope for Sakhi.

What’s also odd is how easy Sakhi’s path seems to be. She has a natural affinity towards shooting and hits the bulls eye with usual training. She’s an adult yet her tantrums come across as childish in a key scene, not to mention unprofessional. The way she pursues ‘love’ also seems misguided, not to mention cliché. Maybe these scenes would’ve worked had there been a teen protagonist? The scenes that take place at the shooting competitions don’t really keep you at the edge of your seat, like they’re intended to. Kukunoor wants to tell you there’s no such thing as luck, your destiny is in your hands. But the message doesn’t really come across that well. What’s thankfully a relief is that Kukunoor subverts stereotypes by making her competitors see her as healthy competition, instead of engaging them both in a cat-fight.

Good Luck Sakhi has a terrific opening that draws you in. Devi Sri Prasad’s number Bad Luck Sakhi plays out almost like a musical on a Broadway show and you’re intrigued. However, despite the composer, cinematographer Chiratan Das and the lead actors giving their best, the film’s sound design and editing are also a let-down. Scenes end abruptly and sometimes the dialogues are almost inaudible. It feels like the film was shot on sync sound which did not work out in its favour.

Keerthy does a good job of essaying Sakhi, you can see she gave the film her all. Aadhi and Jagapathi Babu, plus Rahul Ramakrishna remain as dependable as always. If only Good Luck Sakhi had something coherent to back them up. We know by now that Nagesh Kukunoor can do way better.

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