Remember the time when we were kids and once addicted to board games. A couple of the earliest board games that we as kids were acquainted to were Snakes and Ladders and Ludo. While the former acted as a life lesson in many ways, the latter was a way more layered game that had the potential to hold friendships on ransom. So, I have just finished watching the new release Ludo on Netflix. Before we get to the review, if you are loving our content then please spread the word by sharing the new popcorn reviewss link with your friends! As promised, we are working overtime to get the latest movie reviews out in a jiffy. With a truckload of new releases in the pipeline, we at Popcorn Reviewss are at your service! So lets get to the Ludo…errr review! Is it worth your time, stay tuned!

Ludo is the story that is extremely difficult to explain, but let me try. It is the story comprising of multiple stories of multiple characters from different walks of life and how their lives are intertwined with one another. Well I’ll leave it at that but the story is a good one. In the past we have often seen these convoluted stories in Movies like Cloud Atlas or even Super Deluxe. But these films are a rarity as they are a risky proposition. You have to worry about a number of things including things like is any of it making any sense to anyone. Which brings me to its screenplay. The screenplay is indeed convoluted and requires your undivided attention. Slightest of distraction would lead to minute details being lost which would in a way break the track of the drama. And because of this, you are into the drama from the word go! Make no mistake it is a long film at 150 minutes, with the first 30 minutes spent on introducing all its characters. While the film meanders, you often find yourself asking the question, where is this heading? The film never drops a beat and culminates into an enthralling finale. On the flipside there are moments in the middle where you can’t help but think that the writers have overindulged a bit with sequences like Pinky randomly killing people in a hotel. But there is so much to appreciate in this screenplay. It tackles so many subjects and genres including crime, drama, thriller being at times philosophical too and nailing almost all of them at once, which makes it a masterclass of sorts. The dialogues are good, the music and BGM are excellent as has always been in an Anurag Basu film. Which brings me to the director. Anurag Basu is known to take up challenging screenplays whether it is Gangster, Barfi or even Jagga Jasoos. Ludo is no different. It was a complex screenplay to direct and pull off and he definitely wins this board game and comes out with flying colours.

Asha Negi as Asha and her spouse played by Uday Bhanu have their moments to shine. Paritosh Tripathi as Manohar has done a ‘swell’ job. Anurag Basu and Rahul Bagga as the sutradhars are pretty good. Gitanjali Mishra as Sambhavi does a very good job. Ishtiak Khan as Sukumar has his comic timing on point. Shalini Vatsa as Kutty is fantastic. The little girl Inayat Verma as Mini is such a star. Pearle Maaney as Sheeja is excellent and would love to see her in the future. Rohit Saraf as Rahul has some good screen presence. Aditya Roy Kapur as Akash looks like a million bucks and he has definitely made his presence felt here. Sanya Malhotra as Shruti looks so pretty and she is such a natural onscreen. Abhishek Bachchan is in the form of his life. Anything he touches is turning into gold, he is excellent as Bittu. Fatima Sana Shaikh as Pinky yet again proves her mettle as a strong performer. Rajkummar Rao as Alok, that is a performance and a half right there! The man is so easy on the eyes even in a role that expects him to be over the top. The man is in full control. And there is Pankaj Tripathi as Sattu. Give him even a decent part and he ends up making it legendary with minimum fuss. This was an acting masterclass in a role that wasn’t very well etched out.

A word of caution, if you looking for plain entertainment then you can safely skip this. Ludo is niche and not meant for everyone. But if you looking for an experimental black comedy that should blow your mind then look no further. Ludo is a frigging masterpiece. No two ways about it. Available on Netflix and Highly Highly Highly Recommended.