Ludo is an Indian dark comedy crime film directed by Anurag Basu. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Rohit Suresh Saraf, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Pearle Maaney, and Inayat Verma in the key roles. The film was released on 12 November 2020 on Netflix.
The film starts with two people playing Ludo and talking about philosophical things near a Mafia Base, with the leader Sattu Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi) who serves as a common link between the main characters. Bittu (Abhishek Bachchan) has just got out of jail and he's crushed to see his wife Asha (Asha Negi) living with his brother and her daughter who doesn't even know about her real father. Akash (Aditya Roy Kapur) and Shruti (Sanya Malhotra) are in problem as their sex video has got leaked and are wandering from hotel to hotel, to know where it was recorded. Aalu (Rajkummar Rao) is helping his childhood crush and love Pinky (Fatima Sana Shaikh) to get her husband to settle down a crime. Another track is of Rahul (Rohit Suresh Saraf) and Sheeja (Pearle Maaney) who are running from the mafia after witnessing a killing.
The script is written by Anurag Basu and it's not wrong to say it's magnificent. The script is packed with so many entertaining tracks and scenes, it will never bore for sure. You will get connected to the characters instantly, and each of them has been so wonderfully established, it's beyond the level of brilliance. Basu introduces more than dozens of characters in less than thirty minutes like a rapid-fire, and you will be surprised to see it, as he did it so seamlessly and so impeccably. The treatment and mood of the film reminded me of Jagga Jasoos and Barfii, Anurag's earlier films. His goofiness and fun is not lost and follows the same path to uncover the story just like he did in his past works. He's known to handle complicated characters, and that's what he did here with utmost conviction. He didn't leave any blank spaces, and hence it's never unfulfilling. Abhishek Bachchan's character is so exceptional and high on emotion, he never gets to see his daughter so he befriends Mini, and each scene is so heartening, and full of warmth, that it might bring tear to your eyes. Aditya and Sanya's amazing but quite strange chemistry (considering their circumstances) works very well and delivers some of the best scenes. Rajkummar Rao's is another delightful and unforgettable character, who cries in a corner and dance like Mithun Da when he's tensed, his scenes with Fatima evokes many laughs. Rohit and Pearle's sweet chemistry works, surprisingly, they didn't talk to each other once, but you'll love to see them together, that's the level of brilliance this script has.
Abhishek Bachchan as Bittu has given a fine performance, he's believable and impactful, and stood out in one scene, where he goes to see his daughter and the way he looks at her, his expression is priceless. After Manmarziyaan and Breathe: Into The Shadows, Abhishek is now unstoppable. Aditya Roy Kapoor as Akash has done nothing new, he had done a Ph.D. in doing such casanova roles, but thank God, here he's not a drunk. Sanya Malhotra is a surprise package and impresses as Shruti, she surely has a bright future ahead of her. Rajkummar Rao, the name speaks all, he's terrific, displays various emotions impactfully, and Fatima Sana Shaikh is quite alright and good in some scenes. Rohit Saraf has an effective presence, has fewer dialogues but he's natural. Pearle Maaney as Shreeja is a treat to watch, she can't understand Hindi and English, which brings much comic relief. The biggest takeaway was Inayat Verma as Mini, a small girl, but amazingly talented, her scenes with Abhishek are very sweet. Last but not least, Pankaj Tripathi shines as Sattu Bhaiya, and is remarkable and entertaining.
The cinematography is by Anurag Basu. Not only the characters are taking the story further, but it's the cinematography too. Beautiful and smartly shot, camera work doesn't feel awkward whenever it changes different tracks, and not forget to mention the background music and songs too, which plays a key role in the story and bringing out the magic from the scenes. Aabaad Barbaad, Humdum Hardam, Kyun Aise Hua Pyaar comes as a breeze and is melodious. So the music by Pritam goes well with the mood of the film.
Anurag Basu knows how to handle so many characters and giving each of them an equal spotlight. From films like Life In A Metro, Gangster, Barfii, he had mastered himself in tackling such messy scenes and complicated characters with ease and effortlessness. He shows how Sattu Bhaiya is the Dice and how his one move could affect all of them. Ludo is just like life, unpredictable, and inconsistent. The film climax will leave you surprised, and despite its 2 hours 30 minutes runtime, it's impossible to keep a record of time, thanks to crisp editing. Unmissable and a Must Watch.
Rating:- 4/5
Now Streaming on Netflix.
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