Is it fate, chance, or just plain old randomness that makes us laugh the hardest Bollywood filmmakers have been riffing on luck for decades, spinning tales where a stray lottery ticket or a buried treasure can turn a nobody into a somebody—or slapstick chaos erupts. Which luck Bollywood movie is the best to watch?
From Priyadarshan’s madcap takes to Zoya Akhtar’s insider satire, here are nine Bollywood comedies hinged on luck (or the lack of it). Grab your samosas and let’s roll the dice.
The Lottery Bonanza: Malamaal Weekly
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Lilaram (Paresh Rawal) discovering the winner on his humble weekly ticket—only to have the guy drop dead of shock. It’s such an absurd twist, right? Malamaal Weekly (2006) leans into the idea that luck isn’t always a blessing. Priyadarshan borrowed Waking Ned from Ireland and transplanted it to a dusty Rajasthani village, complete with crooked priests, scheming villagers, and an uproarious moral: don’t underestimate a dying man’s ticket.
I laughed until my sides hurt, and the film’s deadpan humor still feels fresh, even years later.
Treasure Hunts & Twists: Dhamaal to Total Dhamaal
If Malamaal Weekly is lottery luck, then Indra Kumar’s Dhamaal series is pure treasure-map mayhem.
Dhamaal (2007) kicks off with four lovable slackers—played by Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, and Javed Jaffrey—who flutter around Goa chasing a dying thief’s secret stash.
Double Dhamaal (2011) throws in impersonations and a dastardly uncle, deepening the confusion.
And Total Dhamaal (2019) goes full Bollywood rollercoaster: skydiving, camels, Anil Kapoor as a self-help guru.
Each installment feels like someone hit “shuffle” on slapstick and forgot to stop. It’s loud, occasionally crass, and gloriously unpredictable—just like real luck.
Schemes Gone Sideways: Hera Pheri & Phir Hera Pheri
Anything can go wrong when you think you’re about to get rich quick, huh?
Hera Pheri (2000) is my all-time go-to for money-fueled madness. Raju, Shyam, and Baburao—three down-on-their-luck chaps—answer a “ransom call” that they believe will make them millionaires. Instead, they spiral into one hilarious disaster after another. T
hen came Phir Hera Pheri (2006), where the same trio (Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal) swallows every get-rich-quick pitch in the book. It’s greed meets gullibility, and by the time you realize how deep the hole is, you’re too busy clutching your stomach from laughter.
When Dreams Ride on Fate: Luck By Chance
Moving from small-town scams to the bright lights of Mumbai, Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance (2009) is less farce and more wry satire. Farhan Akhtar plays a hopeful newcomer, Zahid, whose “lucky break” seems tantalizingly close—until the industry’s unpredictability smacks him in the face. It’s a refreshing change of pace: not overstuffed with slapstick, but quieter—in a good way. You’ll wince at industry backstabbing and root for Zahid’s one-in-a-million shot.
Taking Chances Literally: Chance Pe Dance
Okay, so it’s not sheer luck, but Chance Pe Dance (2010) traffics in “seizing the moment.” Shahid Kapoor is an underdog street dancer who crashes Bollywood auditions hoping to out-dance the competition. His sole chance feels like threading a needle in the middle of a hurricane, and Genelia D’Souza’s spunky partner-in-crime adds cheeky one-liners that’ll make you grin.
It’s more dance-drama than pure comedy, but the jittery energy and quirky side characters give it that “fate’s funny” vibe—plus, who doesn’t love a good audition montage?
Ransom Roulette: Phas Gaye Re Obama
Sometimes life hands you lemons. Other times, you get mistaken for a fat-cat NRI. Phas Gaye Re Obama (2010) flips the kidnapping-for-ransom trope on its head: kidnappers grab Om (played by Rajat Kapoor, not Neha Dhupia), assuming he’s rolling in greenbacks. But here’s the kicker—he’s flat broke.
The result? A heist-meets-sitcom where both sides try negotiating ransom rates, and poor Om ends up virtually running the show. Subhash Kapoor’s satirical eye spares no one, poking fun at our obsession with the West (and western money). It’s clever, brisk, and, yes, deeply about bad luck.
Life, it seems, loves to toy with us—especially in Bollywood. Whether it’s a random ticket, a map to buried gold, or a phone call from the wrong number, these films remind us that luck can be downright hilarious.
So next time you need a good laugh (or a reminder that your own misfortunes could be worse), pick one of these and let destiny—or at least some terrific slapstick—take the wheel.
What’s your favorite luck-based laugh riot? Drop a comment, tell us your own brush with Bollywood fortune (or folly).
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Articles from MyViralBox’ contributors and guest bloggers.
