Lucky Baskhar

Lucky Baskhar (stylised as Lucky Baskha₹) is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language period crime drama film written and directed by Venky Atluri. It is produced by S. Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments, Fortune Four Cinema and Srikara Studios. The film stars Dulquer Salmaan in the titular role, with Meenakshi Chaudhary. In the film, Baskhar Kumar, a lower-middle-class man, struggles to support his family while battling debt and humiliation, from 1989 to 1992. Desperate to escape his hand-to-mouth existence, Baskar takes a dangerous plunge into the murky world of financial scams in 1989.

The film was officially announced in May 2023 under the tentative title Dulquer Salmaan 32, as it is the actor's 32nd film as a lead actor, and the official title was announced that July. Principal photography commenced in October 2023. It was predominantly shot in Hyderabad. The film has music composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar, cinematography handled by Nimish Ravi and editing by Naveen Nooli.

Lucky Baskhar was released worldwide on 31 October 2024, coinciding Deepawali and received positive reviews from critics.

The story unfolds with Baskar narrating his journey directly to the audience, often breaking the fourth wall to reveal twists and provide insights into his motivations. Initially depicted as a man burdened by family responsibilities and financial woes, Baskar seizes an opportunity to exploit loopholes in the banking system. What begins as a desperate bid to make quick money evolves into a calculated involvement in a larger stock market and money laundering scheme.

As Baskhar rises from rags to riches, his character transforms, exposing arrogance and ambition. However, his wife, Sumathi, serving as his moral compass, questions his choices and forces him to confront the consequences of his actions.

After the success of Vaathi in early 2023, it was reported that Venky Atluri had met Dulquer Salmaan and narrated a script which impressed the actor. Production was reported to begin after Dulquer completes his commitments for King of Kotha (2023).^{[citation needed]} The project would be funded by S. Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya's Sithara Entertainment, Fortune Four Cinemas and Sikara Studios.The company made a public announcement on 15 May 2023, confirming the project,and also stating that filming would begin the following October and would be released in the Summer (June–August 2024) The film's official title, Lucky Bashkar, was announced on 28 July 2023

Principal photography began with the first schedule on 4 October 2023 in Hyderabad.^[12]

The music of the film was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar.^[13] The audio rights were acquired by Aditya Music. The first single, "Srimathi Garu", was released on 19 June 2024.^{[citation needed]} The second single, the title track, was released on 28 July 2024.^{[citation needed]}

Lucky Baskhar was released worldwide on 31 October 2024, coinciding Diwali along with dubbed versions in Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi languages. It was initially reported to be released in the month of July 2024 but was postponed to release on 27 September 2024.Furthur, it was preponed to 7 September 2024 coinciding with Vinayaka Chavithi but was again postponed.

The film began streaming on Netflix from 28 November 2024 in Telugu and dubbed versions of Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi languages.

Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Lucky Baskhar emerges as a captivating period crime thriller, blending a nostalgic backdrop with a tale of human ambition and resilience."Sashidhar Adivi of Times Now gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Lucky Bhaskar is a perfect blend of emotions and clever financial themes. It is tough to craft this kind of drama.Janani K of India Today gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Lucky Baskhar works for the major part because of Venky Atluri’s attention to detail and superlative performances."

Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote "Director Venky Atluri strikes a fine balance between exploring financial scam and relationships in Lucky Baskhar, headlined by a superb Dulquer Salmaan."

Lucky Baskhar was a career milestone for Dulquer, in his first 1 billion (£9.4m) gross worldwide.