Dot balls aplenty in cricket-astro match

The Zoya Factor

Hindi (U/A)

Cast: Dulquer Salman, Sonam Kapoor

Director: Abhishek Sharma

This Indian cricket captain cooks, broods, flirts and even texts a girl he met yesterday about the padding on her blouse.

That’s Dulquer Salman, closet playboy, but looking every bit like the gentleman the game calls for. On the field, he is captain cool — diligent and focused.

Then there is Sonam Kapoor, a gawky advertising rookie who turns out a bigger irritant than all those cocky brand endorsements put together.

Based on Anuj Chauhan’s novel of the same title, The Zoya Factor tries to sail in two boats — cricket and superstition — and ends up rocking both.

Sonam’s Zoya is all about luck — she was born the day India won the World Cup in 1983, and hence is considered a lucky mascot, first for her gully-cricketer brother (Sikander Kher) and then for the entire nation. But Dulquer believes only in talent and tries to knock sense into his stargazing 11.

The southern superstar plays an earnest game on and off the pitch. He bowls you over more with his charm than with his triumph. Sadly, the film is riddled with dot balls.