Good Luck Sakhi preview: All you need to know about Keerthy Suresh's sports comedy directed by Nagesh Kukunoor

Good Luck Sakhi, the sports comedy directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, is among the first bunch of films that Keerthy Suresh had signed post the success of Mahanati. Every film has a unique journey and this one was no exception, facing several delays with its filming, braving past budget issues, the timing of its release. Yet, it has moved beyond several tricky phases, and is finally seeing the light of the day with its theatrical release today. Aadhi Pinisetty, Jagapathi Babu, Rahul Ramakrishna and Ramaprabha too essay crucial roles in the film.

What is the film about?

The film depicts the highs and lows in the journey of Sakhi, nicknamed as Bad Luck Sakhi by the people in her village, and the path that leads her to national glory. While Sakhi is a happy-go-lucky girl with her own aspirations and hopes for a good life ahead, not many around her pay heed to her talents. How a national-level coach (played by Jagapathi Babu) and her fellow-villager Gold Raju discover her worth as a shooter and get her ready for the big stage forms the crux of Good Luck Sakhi. Sakhi's tryst with the sport is far from smooth and audiences, in a light-hearted narrative, will see how she overcomes all her obstacles resiliently.

Why does one have to watch Good Luck Sakhi?

It marks the Telugu debut of national award-winning director Nagesh Kukunoor and is a rare story of a woman hailing from a marginalised community and making it big on the international stage. The fact that the storyteller has treated this more as a comedy and less as a drama indicates that audiences are in for a joyride ahead. Keerthy Suresh is yet to garner a role of substance in Telugu cinema after her stellar performance in Mahanati and what better opportunity than Good Luck Sakhi, which is both inspirational and funny at the same time?

The film has a strong supporting cast with a fine blend of young blood and experience, from Aadhi Pinisetty to Jagapathi Babu to Rahul Ramakrishna and Ramaprabha. Another aspect that's certain to make the audiences curious is the presence of composer Devi Sri Prasad in the crew. It's refreshing to see a big-time, mainstream music director add credibility to an indie-spirited film like Good Luck Sakhi. The repertoire of technicians like Chirantan Das (cinematographer) and A Sreekar Prasad (editor) don't need any introduction at all.

Why was Good Luck Sakhi delayed?

The project underwent a change of producer within few months of its filming and the two waves of the pandemic caused further delay of the shoot and subsequently the release. There have been nearly four release dates of Good Luck Sakhi that were announced in 2021 but it took a Republic Day weekend in 2022 for it to have a proper theatrical slot. While there were several reports that it was headed for a direct-to-OTT premiere, the makers hung on to the theatrical option despite testing situations.

How is the film expected to fare at the box office?

The frequent change in release dates has disrupted the momentum and the buzz around the film. Yet, in an era where good content has always found takers, one needn't be surprised if Good Luck Sakhi clicks at the box office. It has a very sensible director at the helm, an assured lead actor in the form of Keerthy Suresh, and provided the word-of-mouth surrounding the film is strong, Good Luck Sakhi does have a chance of drawing good crowds to theatres. Luckily enough, the film doesn't have any major competition until Ravi Teja's Khiladi (which hits theatres on February 11).

Amazon Prime Video is the streaming partner of Good Luck Sakhi and the film is expected to premiere on the platform in a month's time.