MUMBAI: His unprecedented subjects have always enticed the serious movie buffs. However, filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor’s last few attempts at movie making went awry as he received flak from almost everybody. But his recent attempt with Lakshmi seems to be a comeback of sorts for the director.

Kukunoor’s recent film that is set to hit the theatres on Friday is already getting rave reviews from people who have watched it. The director, who is remembered for films like Hyderabad Blues, 3 Deewarein, Iqbal and Dor, has tried his hand at a topic that is a pressing issue of the time.

Lakshmi starring Monali Thakur, Shefali Shah, Satish Kaushik, Ram Kapoor and Nagesh Kukunoor himself, deals with the harsh realities of human trafficking and child prostitution. He has brought to the fore the issue that continues behind closed curtains in rural areas of India. Interestingly, the film has already won the Best Film - Mercedes Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January this year.

“A gut wrenching story of a 14yr old thrown into human trafficking. The experience is difficult to put into words,” writes a Twitter user.

A well-known film critic posts, “#Lakshmi Outstanding. Better than Teen Deewarein, Iqbal and Dor. Welcome back, Nagesh Kukunoor.”