Luck by Chance

Indian writer/director Zoya Akhtar takes an affectionately satirical look at Bollywood in her likeable yet overlong debut. Combining sharply observant humour with colourful performances and visuals, she explores the diverging fortunes of two struggling actors (played by her brother, Farhan, and Konkona Sen Sharma) who become romantically entangled while chasing Hindi movie stardom. Events are simple and largely predictable, but initially so playfully executed that they're really enjoyable to watch. Cameos from industry icons, including Shah Rukh Khan, add extra spice, and there's a dazzling circus-themed musical number. Sadly, the film's final third is flattened by a shift to traditional melodrama, making everything messy and morally heavy-handed. It's a disappointing miscalculation after such a zesty build-up, though Akhtar compensates somewhat with her surprisingly bittersweet ending.