Introduction: Ludo is one of the most intelligent and witty movies to be produced in the Hindi film industry. it is very smart in its structure and yet very entertaining. With on spot comedic timing, up to date satire, and some whimsical slapstick humor, this movie is THE perfect movie to watch with your family. This movie revolves around a leaked sex tape, two underappreciated young hustlers trying to make something of their lives, an ex-convict trying to be there for his young daughter, a one-sided love story, and a gangster and his posse. Sounds confusing? This is just the first act of the movie!
1. Story & Screenplay
one of the plus points about the movie is its story. it is not unique in the world of cinema but this is the first "multinarrative" movie to be made in India.
A multinarrative movie is one single story divided into four individuals stories each linked together by a character or a common event. to make a perfect multinarrative story, one has to think about the bigger picture as well as the finer details so that everything falls into its designated place during the production stage. thus, credit has to be given to Anurag Basu because behind such a smooth picture is hours and hours of meticulous thinking and planning.
All things aside, if you look at this movie from the "glass half empty" perspective, it is clearly observed that the movie is "more than inspired" by classic multinarrative films, especially Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino (One of my all-time favorites). The similarities between these two movies can go endless. It is quite okay to get inspired by another artist's work but if you watch these two movies back to back, you will realize that Ludo is more than just "inspired" work.
then again, there is a high chance that the target audience of Ludo has never heard about Pulp Fiction at all. The vibe that Ludo creates on-screen represents entertainment, leisure, and a certain kind of homely feeling whereas Pulp Fiction is slightly dark and intellectual.
Ludo was also released just before the festive season of Diwali where all the members of a family, no matter where they are, come together and enjoy the age-old festival. Ludo, was thus, meant to be a fun, "time-pass" movie you can watch with your family.
2. Cast
the ensemble cast was the icing on the cake for this movie. celebrated by the likes of Rajkumar Rao, Abhishek Bachchan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Aditya Roy Kapoor, and the evergreen Pankaj Tripathi, Ludo has stood out to be the most star-studded event film (Also "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" but not at this volume) since the beginning of the Hindi film industry. This is good for the industry because earlier, the industry made different types of films, and the monopoly of each particular type of film was in the hands of only one particular actor.
The movie has also given newcomers like Rohit Saraf and Pearle Maaney a kickstart in the industry. Personally, it was a joy to watch Abhishek Bachchan who gets better and better every subsequent time he is in front of the camera.
3. Direction & Music
Anurag Basu is no doubt a legendary director. If anyone deserves any credit for improving the industry, it's Anurag Basu. he successfully created a very homely, lively, and fun vibe to this movie which otherwise, would have turned out to be very serious and dull. Everything, from the camera, angles to the locations to the VFX and the music is perfect.
Speaking of music, the sound effects and music are also very perfect, and in the case of Basu, the music has been perfect since "Gangster & Life in a metro".
the revival of the classic 1951 hit song "O Beta Ji" has infiltrated the minds of all the viewers alike.
Conclusion: Yes, Anurag Basu does literally copies the work of foreign artists' but he does it not for money or accolades but to improve the quality of the Hindi film industry and to satisfy his own passion. This has been evident if you look at his career graph.
This movie is meant to be watched with your family. It might be dirty or raunchy but it creates a fun atmosphere whenever and wherever it's played.
Available on Netflix(IN).
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