Ludo Movie Review: A Chaotic But Compelling Blend Of Intense Performances!

Filmmaker Anurag Basu's multi-starrer flick Ludo presents one with an insatiable amalgamation of high pitched plot lines and performances which are interconnected and interwoven with each other. The flick manages to keep one hooked right since the word 'go'. Not to forget, each story represents a colour of a Ludo dice with its own unique blend of drama and emotion. 

The plot begins with a brutal murder by Sattu Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi). However, soon diverse characters and their plot lines emerge taking the crux of the story forward. While Akash (Aditya Roy Kapur) and Ahana (Sanya Malhotra) find a tape of their intimate moments gone viral and try to find out the reason behind this, Bittu (Abhishek Bachchan), a former gangster is released from the prison only to find his wife and daughter starting a new life away from him. On the other hand Pinky (Fatima Sana Shaikh) finds her husband accused of a murder for which she turns to Alok (Rajkummar Rao) for help who is hopelessly in love with her while Rahul (Rohit Saraf) and Sheeja (Pearle Maney) are two individuals unhappy at their workplaces until their life changes overnight. 

The gripping beginning of Ludo immediately captures attention. The intriguing pace of the plot as well as the engaging background score sets the tone of the film. However, the screenplay gets shoddy and chaotic as the other characters and their arc is etched on the plot. The storyline gets highly cramped up and messy with more and more events piling up. One of the biggest drawbacks of the story is that one cannot strike a chord with any of the characters. Even the narrator (Anurag Basu) stating on the virtues and morals of the character fails to bring in the required depth to the plot.  

But it is the direction and cinematography by Basu which intricately plays the hues of green, blue, red and yellow bringing more intensity to the plot and also stays true to the crux of the movie. The vivid cinematography coupled with the varied shades of dark comedy, romance and drama develops interest in the film. The recurring background score of the yesteryear track O Betaji from Albela amps up the sequences. 

Talking about the performances, Pankaj Tripathi brings in the required quirk in his character while Rajkummar Rao is endearing as the junior Mithun, Alok. Abhishek Bachchan's subtle performance remind you of his character in the film Yuva while Fatima Sana Shaikh brings the right depth in her role as Pinky. Aditya Roy Kapur and Sanya Malhotra manage to hold on to their acts while sharing an infectious chemistry while Rohit Saraf and Pearle Maney impress even with few dialogues. 

While the film manages to create a profound impact in some moments, it becomes too much cloistered and shabby in some parts. Even though the screenplay gets elongated, the climax surprises one with some quirky and adrenaline rushing moments. This one deserves a watch for the impressive performances and the plethora of stories intertwined with each other.  For Anurag Basu's debut digital venture, Ludo manages to stand out as a unique tale defining its characters in a vivid manner.