The movie “Ludo,” much like the game, is all about winning and losing (in this case, at the game of life and death), of missing a turn but then gaining another after patiently waiting for it, of strategizing and rolling the die and hoping that Lady Luck smiles on you once more.
Following the massive explosion of the floating headquarters of a crime lord who literally refuses to die, the lives of those in contact with him as well as of others who’ve crossed his path (or might cross his path in the future) are thrown off balance. These other characters include a bullied but ambitious nurse, a mute spectator who is bullied but ambitious as well, a child starved for attention from her parents, a criminal trying to turn a new leaf who is starved for attention from his estranged child, a trigger happy housewife, her childhood friend who just wants to see her happy (and possibly come out of the friend-zone), and many more characters with their own share of problems and eccentricities.
I liked the introduction of each character as well as the intertwining of their story lines, often leading to even messier problems cropping up. Out of all the characters who are thrown into the mix, however, I did find myself thoroughly engrossed in Alu and Pinky’s turn (tried to make a board game pun there). They’re easily two of the most lovable, easy to root for characters (apart from Bittu and Mini, who come a close second) and their overemotional, dramatic interactions with each other—as well as Alu’s abrupt dance numbers—had me in splits.
While the movie unravels and plays out like a board game, there’s hardly room to feel bored here (sorry, I make bad puns, it’s what I do, deal with it) owing much to its crisp writing (albeit the kind that’ll make your head loopy trying to keep up with all the twists in the tale and figure out whose character needs money for what), its crisp editing, the swift pace and the comedy which is smart, satirical (taking potshots at Coronavirus and capitalism alike), and, at times, rather dark. I also liked the cinematography and the captivating, creatively utilised colour palette.
The cast of “Ludo” boasts big names like Pankaj Tripathi and Abhishek Bacchan, as well as up-and-coming talents like Pearle Maaney, Rohit Suresh Saraf, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra, and Aditya Roy Kapoor, who all do justice to their roles (brownie points for everyone’s comic timing in this). The standout performances for me were Pearle Maaney and Rohit Suresh Saraf as nurse Sheeja Thomas and Rahul, who both, despite their limited dialogue, conveyed a lot through their body language, expressions, and effortless chemistry alone. Young Inayat Verma is an adorable addition to the cast and her character Mini is rather endearing. Director Anurag Basu also acts as the narrator and does a good job at it.
“Ludo” is a must watch if anthology-esque thrillers with a lot of twists, turns, and tie-ins are what you desire.
