Ludo – A review

Ludo by Anurag Basu is a story of eccentric characters caught in a madcap situation. The entire film is designed like a Ludo game board with individual characters & stories not only trying to get ahead but also trying to cut through the other’s much like in the game - it’s not just about getting your players “home” but also to know how & when to create troubles for others or conversely to avoid possible showdowns, like in life.

There are 4 broad stories with the common string of Pankaj Tripathi’s don character Sattu Bhaiya. Anurag Basu couldn’t have chosen a better character or actor to play him. Pankaj Tripathi is hilarious & terrifying – a perfect blend of humorous villains, a reminder of Paresh Rawal’s legendary Pinky in RGV’s Daud. A scene where Sattu bhaiya has an “interaction” with an erring doctor will make you sputter, first in laughter & then pure horror as you register the expression on his face. FANTASTIC. It’s high time Pankaj ji is cast in a much meatier role in a film which is not an ensemble. He is one of the best actors Hindi cinema has to offer today and it will be a shame if he is relegated to just don type roles for he has proved his worth far beyond it (such as in Newton, Bareilly ki Barfi, Gunjan Saxena).

All 4 stories have the characters seeking something. Some are in it for money, some for love, some for dignity, some acceptance & yet some for just getting by but they are all connected by their need to achieve a sense of actualisation in the end – whatever be their path. However while other stories make sense & seem essential to the film, the one involving Aditya Roy Kapoor & Sanya Malhotra falls short. While the chemistry between the two actors is definitely worth exploring, the story in itself seems a miss as compared to the others, specially towards the end. On its own though, it’s definitely a story worth exploring, just not in the ambit of this movie & its template.

In a similar vein, Anurag Basu’a own appearance as Yamraj seems superfluous at it’s worst and & spoon feeding at best. All it does is take away from the film by trying to explain away the morals of the characters and that too in a very half hearted way. This attempt at a very basic, offhand philosophical explanation makes the otherwise enjoyable film quite weak in my opinion.

What does work however are some fantastic performances across the board. Pankaj Tripathi stands out for his absolutely spot on performance which shines through even more in the latter half when he is joined by Shalini Vatsa & we see the don in a new light! Pearle Maaney is a fantastic find for me as a viewer, while Rohit Saraf is sincere & makes you root for his character as he attempts to struggle out of some truly shit situations in life! Rajkummar Rao’s character is perhaps the most likeable and his portrayal successfully makes you frustrated on his behalf like you would for a BFF who was as intent on destroying himself in love as he is. Abhishek Bachchan stands out for what could have been had he been pushed just a little bit more – exactly what I felt while watching Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan last year or less so but definitely in Raakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Dilli 6 which I have been watching again and again over the last couple of years.

Abhishek Bachchan has been an actor for some 20 years now but as is common knowledge, those 20 years have seen more duds than bingos with his acting being on the end of more than a few brickbats.

There are scenes in this film where Abhishek’s Bittu steals your heart. His bond with young Inayat Varma, who plays the self kidnapped Mini, is heartwarming and shines through. But you realise the true potential of Abhishek as an actor is in a particularly touching scene where Bittu meets his own daughter after a long time. Its a scene that demanded a more rounded performance and Abhishek falls short and you wish the director had pushed him more.

Anyway, as a whole the film is definitely worth a watch for its performances, writing & a few scenes which will make you laugh out loud & some others which will make you sigh. Fantastic music accompanies this enjoyable but flawed film.

Direction – Anurag Basu

Cast – Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Fatima Sana Sheikh, Sanya Malhotra, Inayat Verma, Pearle Maaney, Rohan Saraf, Shalini Vatsa

Available on Netflix