No, Lucky Bhaskar is not a real story since the character of Bhaskar Kumar and his specific journey are fictional. Lucky Bhaskar is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language black comedy crime drama film written and directed by Venki Alturi. Produced by Sithara Entertainments, Fortune Four Cinema and Srikara Studios, the movie features Dulquer Salman in the title role, alongside Meenakshi Chaudhary, Tinu Anand, Raghu Babu and P. Sai Kumar in supporting roles.
While the plot of Lucky Bhaskar is fictional, it is inspired by the real-life 1992 securities scam involving Harshad Mehta. The movie is set in late 1980s/early 1990s and takes the Harshad Mehta financial fraud as a backdrop. However, the story is original and not a depiction of the said scam.
Plot Summary
The plot is centred on Bhaskar, an underpaid cashier at Magadha Bank who is struggling to support his wife, son, paralysed father and siblings, amidst mounting debts and accompanying humiliation. Bhaskar gradually gets drawn into financial scams, exploiting the loopholes of the banking system to siphon off funds. The narrative is framed through interrogation of Bhaskar by CBI officials in 1992, with flashbacks revealing his journey.
Bhaskar begins by approving shady loans and using bank funds to earn high returns on investments. He soon acquires a lot of wealth and even gets promotions. Luxurious lifestyle spurs him to get entangled with bigger players in the stock market scam, including a character resembling Harshad Mehta.
As the 1992 stock market scam explodes, Bhaskar cleverly outmanoeuvres the investigation and frames his corrupt superiors and rivals. Consequently, Bhaskar escapes the consequences of his crimes. In the end, he and his family relocate to Boston and settle down to a prosperous life.
Comparisons with 1992 Harshad Mehta Scam
The Harshad Mehta scam involved systemic loopholes in India’s banking and stock market systems. Lucky Bhaskar, on the other hand, doesn’t dive into the complexities of financial scam but focuses on the personal journey of a common citizen navigating the ethical dilemmas of financial fraud.
Harshad Mehta was a charismatic stockbroker who was adept at manipulation and taking risks. Bhaskar, on the other hand, is driven by circumstances and desperation to get embroiled in a high-stakes financial fraud.