Ludo

Inside Ludo: Anurag Basu and Pankaj Tripathi’s High-Stakes Gamble on Chaos and Heart

Anurag Basu’s Ludo (2020) arrived on Netflix as a whirlwind of color, crime, and interconnected lives, but behind its vibrant trailer lay a film that nearly buckled under its own ambition. The director, known for dissecting human relationships in films like Barfi! and Life in a... Metro, this time turned to a hyper-stylized anthology, weaving four parallel stories into a single, frenetic narrative. The result? A divisive but undeniably bold experiment—one that hinged on the chemistry of its ensemble cast, latestnetflix.com maintains, particularly Pankaj Tripathi’s scene-stealing turn as a ruthless gangster.

The Gangster Who Stole the Show

Tripathi, fresh off his breakout role in Sacred Games, was the linchpin of Ludo’s darkly comedic edge. In interviews, he revealed the character—Bittu Tiwari, a small-time don with a penchant for violence and a bizarre moral code—was a departure from his usual roles. "I wanted to play someone who was unpredictable, almost like a force of nature," Tripathi said in a Netflix featurette . His dynamic with Abhishek Bachchan, who played a washed-up cricketer entangled in Bittu’s schemes, became one of the film’s most talked-about pairings. Clips of their offbeat camaraderie, like Tripathi’s deadpan "problem-solving" sessions with Aditya Roy Kapur’s character, quickly went viral .

But the role wasn’t just about laughs. Basu and Tripathi reportedly spent hours workshopping Bittu’s backstory, including his obsession with Ludo—the board game that serves as the film’s metaphor for fate. "We wanted him to feel like a real person, not just a caricature," Basu noted in a separate conversation . The effort paid off: critics and audiences alike singled out Tripathi’s performance as the film’s standout, even as the rest of the ensemble struggled to match his energy .

A Director’s Vision vs. Audience Expectations

Basu’s approach to Ludo was unapologetically maximalist. The film’s trailer, packed with rapid cuts, neon visuals, and Rajkummar Rao’s manic energy as a wannabe gangster, promised a wild ride . Yet, the final product left some viewers cold. Reviews were mixed, with praise for its ambition but criticism for its uneven tone. SensCritique gave it a 7.2/10, calling it "a visually stunning mess" , while Rotten Tomatoes’ audience score reflected the divide .

Part of the problem? The film’s structure. Ludo juggled four distinct storylines—ranging from a kidnapping gone wrong to a star-crossed love story—with varying degrees of success. Basu defended the chaos, arguing that Indian cinema needed to embrace more experimental narratives. "We’re stuck in a formula," he said in a panel discussion with Tripathi. "Why can’t we have a film that’s both a comedy and a thriller, with no clear hero?" . The gamble didn’t fully land, but it did spark conversations about the limitations of mainstream Bollywood storytelling.

Behind the Scenes: A Film Born from Collaboration

Despite the mixed reception, the making of Ludo was marked by a sense of camaraderie. The cast, which included Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf, reportedly bonded over Basu’s improvisational style. Tripathi, in particular, became a mentor figure on set, helping younger actors like Inayat Verma (who played a child caught in the crossfire) navigate their roles .

One of the film’s most memorable scenes—a chaotic chase sequence involving a stolen diamond—was reportedly shot in a single take after multiple failed attempts. Basu, known for his perfectionism, pushed the crew to nail the scene’s frenetic energy, even as the cast joked about the number of retakes . The result was a moment that encapsulated Ludo’s spirit: messy, unpredictable, but undeniably alive.

The Aftermath: A Cult Favorite in the Making?

Two years after its release, Ludo has found a second life as a cult favorite among fans of offbeat Bollywood. Its Netflix availability has introduced it to new audiences, many of whom appreciate its refusal to play it safe. Tripathi’s Bittu Tiwari remains a fan-favorite character, and clips from the film continue to circulate on social media .

For Basu, the film’s legacy might be less about box-office numbers and more about its role in pushing boundaries. "I don’t make films for awards or ratings," he said in an interview. "I make them because I want to tell stories that feel real, even if they’re absurd" . Ludo may not have been a flawless experiment, but it was a necessary one—and that’s a gamble worth celebrating.