A Postmodernist Study of the Hindi Films: Tamasha and Ludo

A Postmodernist Study of Hindi Films:

Tamasha and Ludo

SUBMITTED BY

Nidhi Rajesh Dugar

Roll Number: 23003

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

Ms. Dhrumi Shah

R.D. & S.H. National College and S.W.A. Science College,

Linking Road, Bandra West,

Mumbai- 400050

TO

The University of Mumbai

Master of Arts in English Literature

Part II Semester IV

Date of Submission: 17TH June 2025

SIGNATURE OF THE CANDIDATE SIGNATURE OF THE GUIDE

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Certificate

I hereby declare that the dissertation titled “A Postmodernist Study of the Hindi Films:

Tamasha and Ludo” submitted by me in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award

of the degree of Master of English Literature at University of Mumbai, forms my original

contribution to the research work carried out under the supervision of my research guide Prof.

Dhrumi Shah.

I further declare that:

 The dissertation has not been submitted previously, in part or in full, to any other

university or institution for the award of any degree, diploma, or other qualification.

 Any works referenced are duly acknowledged and credited in the bibliography.

 I have followed all academic and ethical guidelines laid down by the institution.

I understand that any violation of the above declaration may result in disciplinary action

and/or cancellation of my degree, as per the university's rules and regulations.

SIGNATURE OF THE CANDIDATE SIGNATURE OF THE GUIDE

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Acknowledgements

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my thesis advisor for her unwavering

support, immense understanding, patience, and kindness throughout the process of writing

this thesis. Her support made this challenging journey manageable and saved me from panic

and burnout.

I would also like to thank my course coordinators, Dr. Zainab Razvi and Ms. Avni Shah, for

their constant encouragement and support throughout my M.A. journey. Their guidance

played a vital role in shaping my academic experience.

A sincere thank you to Mrs. Prerna Jatav, Head of the Department, for her leadership and for

creating an environment that fosters learning and growth.

A special note of thanks to Dr. Kranti Doibale, whose introduction to the basics of research

laid the foundation for this work. Her knowledge, dedication, and passion for research have

been truly inspirational and continue to motivate me.

This thesis would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of these

remarkable educators
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Abstract

This dissertation explores the postmodernist elements in the Hindi films Tamasha (2015),

directed by Imtiaz Ali, and Ludo (2020), directed by Anurag Basu. Through a close analysis

of narrative structure, character development, and thematic concerns, the study explores how

these films embody key postmodern traits such as self-reflexivity, intertextuality, nonlinearity,

and philosophical playfulness. Tamasha questions the construction of identity and blurs the

boundaries between performance and reality. At the same time, Ludo presents life as a chaotic

game, rejecting the metanarrative of morality and embracing randomness and chance.

Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Jean-François Lyotard, Fredric Jameson, and other

postmodern thinkers, this dissertation situates both films within the broader discourse of

postmodern cinema and argues that they reflect the uncertainty, fragmentation, and

multiplicity of meaning characteristic of postmodern cultural production. The dissertation

also attempts to explore the growing impact of postmodernism on Hindi cinema and how

contemporary filmmakers are using postmodern techniques to reflect the complexities of

modern life.

Keywords: Postmodernism, Hindi Cinema, Metanarrative, Non-linear, Pastiche, Intertext

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Table of Contents

Chapter One: Introduction ................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background of the Study .............................................................................................. 1
1.2 Research Questions ...................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Research Objectives ..................................................................................................... 2
1.4 Hypothesis .................................................................................................................... 3
1.5 Research Gap ................................................................................................................ 3
1.6 Literature Review ......................................................................................................... 3
1.7 Snapshot of Chapters .................................................................................................... 5
Chapter Two: Analysis of Postmodern Elements in Tamasha .......................................... 6
2.1 Rebellion Against Grand Narratives ............................................................................. 6
2.2 Fragmented Identity and Performativity ...................................................................... 7
2.3 Collapse of Reality and Performance ........................................................................... 7
2.4 Hyperreality and Role-Playing ..................................................................................... 8
2.5 No Single Meaning, Just One Story Among Many ...................................................... 8
2.8 Irony and Detachment ................................................................................................ 10
Chapter Three: Analysis of Postmodern Elements in Ludo ........................................... 11
3.1 Fragmentation, Ambiguity and Non-linear Narrative ................................................ 11
3.2 Irony, Parody, and Self-reflexivity ............................................................................. 12
3.3 Intertextuality and Pastiche ........................................................................................ 13
3.4 Hyperreality and Simulation....................................................................................... 14
3.5 Death of the Author and Multiplicity of Meaning ...................................................... 15
Chapter Four: Comparative Analysis .............................................................................. 16
4.1 Narrative Structure ..................................................................................................... 16
4.2 Style and Aesthetic ..................................................................................................... 17
4.3 Setting and Temporality.............................................................................................. 17
4.4 Character Arcs and Identity ........................................................................................ 18
4.5 Cinematography and Mise-en-Scène .......................................................................... 19
4.6 Themes and Postmodern Concerns ............................................................................. 19
Chapter Five: Conclusion .................................................................................................. 20
Works Cited and Bibliography ......................................................................................... 23
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Chapter One: Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Postmodernism has changed the way we tell stories, especially in films. It moves

away from clear plots and fixed meanings, and instead brings in confusion, playfulness, and

questions about reality. As literary critic Ihab Hassan explains, postmodern works often show

“ambiguity, fragmentation, irony, and a mix of styles” (Hassan 123).

In postmodernism, there is no single truth or meaning. Everything is open to

interpretation. As Stuart Sim puts it, “Postmodernism celebrates diversity and doubts any one

fixed truth” (Sim 47). In film, postmodernism manifests through non-linear storytelling, self-

reflexivity, intertextuality, and the blurring of boundaries between high and low cultures.

Postmodern films often subvert traditional narrative structures, employ pastiche and parody,

and engage in meta-commentary on the media itself. Postmodern films also reflect a

fragmented world where characters may not grow or change in conventional ways, and where

endings often remain unresolved. These traits are visible in the works of many international

filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Charlie Kaufman, and Wong Kar-wai, who frequently use

non-linear timelines, metafictional devices, and genre-bending techniques to challenge

cinematic norms.

In recent years, such postmodern sensibilities have found their way into mainstream

Hindi cinema. Directors such as Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banerjee have been at the

forefront of this movement, creating films that challenge audience expectations and offer

complex, multilayered narratives.

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While Bollywood has long been rooted in melodrama, clear moral binaries, and linear

plots, films like Tamasha (2015) by Imtiaz Ali and Ludo (2020) by Anurag Basu signal a

shift. These films are not only stylistically unconventional but also thematically aligned with

postmodern ideas. Tamasha explores identity as a social performance, blurring the line

between fiction and reality in its protagonist’s life. Ludo constructs a fragmented narrative of

chance, coincidence, and interconnected stories that mimic the unpredictability of life itself.

Both films refuse to offer closure or moral clarity, embracing the very ambiguity and

complexity that define postmodern art.

The present dissertation undertakes a postmodern analysis of two contemporary Hindi

films: Tamasha (2015), directed by Imtiaz Ali, and Ludo (2020), directed by Anurag Basu.

The central focus lies in exploring how these films reflect postmodern aesthetics and

ideologies through narrative fragmentation, metafictional elements, nonlinear storytelling,

and the deconstruction of traditional cinematic norms.

1.2 Research Questions

The following research questions guide the study:

1. How do Tamasha and Ludo embody postmodern characteristics in their narrative

structures and thematic explorations?

2. In what ways do these films challenge traditional cinematic conventions and societal

norms?

1.3 Research Objectives

Correspondingly, the objectives of this study are:

1. To identify and analyse the postmodern elements in Tamasha and Ludo.

2. To explore the cultural and social implications of postmodernism in contemporary

Hindi cinema.
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1.4 Hypothesis

Tamasha and Ludo embody postmodern elements and are informed by postmodern

thought. They contain identifiable postmodern elements in both their narratives, setting,

cinematography and themes. These elements challenge traditional storytelling and reflect the

cultural and social effects of postmodernism in today’s Hindi cinema.

1.5 Research Gap

Despite the growing body of literature on postmodernism in global cinema,

Bollywood’s integration of postmodern themes remains underexplored. There is a particular

dearth of research that applies Lyotard’s scepticism of grand narratives, Baudrillard’s

concepts of simulacra, and Derrida’s deconstructive strategies to the nuanced storytelling

found in films like Tamasha and Ludo.

1.6 Literature Review

The intersection of postmodern theory and film studies has been widely discussed

over the past few decades. Scholars such as Lyotard, Baudrillard, and Derrida have laid the

theoretical groundwork to understand the complexities of narrative fragmentation, simulation,

and deconstruction in cinema. Lyotard’s ideas on the “incredulity towards metanarratives”

suggest that in postmodern art, overarching stories give way to multiple, smaller narratives

that resist totalizing interpretation (Lyotard 45). Baudrillard’s discussion of simulacra and

hyperreality, where the distinction between reality and its representation blurs, is particularly

relevant in films that foreground media and performance (Baudrillard 79). Derrida’s theory of

deconstruction challenges the binary oppositions and fixed meanings in texts, encouraging a

view of cinema as a space where meaning is always deferred and recontextualized (Derrida

102).
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In Bollywood, the application of these theories has been relatively sparse in scholarly

discourse. Scholarly discourse on Hindi cinema has increasingly highlighted a postmodern

turn characterised by cross-cultural exchanges, self-referentiality, and visually extravagant

filmmaking. Neelam Sidhar Wright’s Bollywood and Postmodernism: Popular Indian

Cinema in the 21st Century (2015) identifies this shift, noting how films such as Om Shanti

Om and Koi... Mil Gaya blend nostalgia with modern narrative techniques. Complementing

this view, Santhi (2019) discusses how India’s transition toward a consumerist society has

influenced narrative innovation in film. While these works provide a robust foundation for

understanding postmodern aesthetics in Bollywood, there remains a gap in research

specifically addressing Tamasha and Ludo.

While there have been attempts to explore the metaphoric and symbolic dimensions of

these films (Sharma 88; Kapoor 112), a systematic postmodernist analysis that employs the

specific frameworks of Lyotard, Baudrillard, and Derrida to dissect the two films remains

underdeveloped.

This paper aims to fill this gap by offering a detailed postmodernist reading of

Tamasha and Ludo. The literature indicates that while narrative innovation in Bollywood is

acknowledged (Mehta 90), there is scant attention paid to how these innovations mirror

postmodern theoretical constructs. Moreover, there is a need for scene analysis that

substantiates theoretical claims with concrete examples from the films. This research,

therefore, not only contributes to theoretical discourse but also offers a practical framework

for analysing Bollywood cinema through a postmodernist lens.

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1.7 Snapshot of Chapters

Chapter 1 gives an overview of the study. It covers the background, research questions,

research objectives, research gap, and literature review. As the name suggests, it is an

introductory chapter that sets the tone for the entire dissertation.

Chapter 2 provides an in-depth analysis of Tamasha through a postmodernist lens. Using

theories by Lyotard, Baudrillard, and Derrida, this chapter will deconstruct the film’s

narrative structure, visual style, and meta-cinematic commentary. It will include specific

examples and dialogues that illustrate how the film negotiates the boundary between reality

and performance.

Chapter 3 analyses Ludo, focusing on its ensemble narrative and its use of intertextuality.

This chapter will incorporate direct quotes from dialogues and critical scene analyses to

reveal how the film embodies postmodern principles, such as fragmentation, intertextuality,

and the collapse of linear time.

Chapter 4 undertakes a comparative analysis of the two films. This section will highlight

both convergences and divergences in their treatment of postmodern themes, discussing the

directors’ distinct cinematic styles and the resultant impact on audience perception.

Chapter 5 concludes the paper by summarising the key findings, reflecting on the

implications of the study, and suggesting directions for future research. The conclusion will

also address the broader impact of postmodernist narrative strategies on contemporary

Bollywood filmmaking.
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Chapter Two: Analysis of Postmodern Elements in Tamasha

Imtiaz Ali’s film Tamasha (2015) is a classic example of what’s called postmodern in

today’s Indian cinema. At its core, it tells the story of a man torn between the narrative

society has imposed upon him and the one he wishes to create for himself. The film resists

linearity, stable identity, and singular meanings- key traits of postmodern thought. This

chapter examines Tamasha through a postmodernist lens by analysing its use of metafiction,

identity performance, temporal fragmentation, and critique of consumerist structures. Each of

these themes is explored with close reference to specific scenes, character development, and

cinematic techniques.

Postmodern Elements in Tamasha:

2.1 Rebellion Against Grand Narratives

In the scene where Ved returns home after meeting the storyteller, he begins to narrate

the story of his own life loudly, emotionally, and almost theatrically, highlighting how he has

followed a script written by others. Through this performance, he expresses his growing rage

at being reduced to just another ordinary man caught in the rat race. His story is not just a

complaint; it is an explosion of frustration built up over years of living a life that was never

really his. He talks about how he has become a mechanical being, moving from one stage of

life to another—school, college, job—without ever stopping to ask why. This moment

powerfully illustrates Jean-François Lyotard’s idea of incredulity toward metanarratives,

where postmodern individuals begin to reject the dominant societal “stories” that claim to

define a meaningful life (Lyotard 36). For Ved, the metanarrative of success, getting a

respectable job, earning money, and conforming to expectations, has not brought happiness

but instead erased his uniqueness. By turning his life into a story and performing it with such

anger and urgency, he resists the idea that there is only one right way to live. His breakdown
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is not just personal; it is political. It challenges the structures that reward obedience over

originality and routine over imagination, marking a deeply postmodern rebellion against

totalizing systems of meaning.

2.2 Fragmented Identity and Performativity

Perhaps the most important theme of Tamasha is the fragmentation of identity,

presented through Ved’s split self. In Corsica, Ved lives a performative, theatrical life

unbound by social expectations. In Delhi, he becomes a mechanical employee in a tech firm,

embodying the 'ideal' of middle-class Indian success. The stark contrast reflects the

postmodern rejection of the coherent, modernist self.

A pivotal scene that exemplifies this is the confrontation between Ved and Tara after

their return from Corsica. Tara is disappointed by Ved's dull, corporate demeanour—a far cry

from the whimsical storyteller she fell in love with. Ved’s identity here is shown as something

performed, rather than innate.

Judith Butler’s theory of performativity supports this reading: identity is constructed

through repeated social performance (Butler 179). Ved has internalized the script given to

him by society, but it is through the crisis of being rejected by Tara that he begins to confront

the hollowness of this performance.

2.3 Collapse of Reality and Performance

One of the film’s most theatrical moments comes toward the end, when Ved performs

his life story on a stage. In this sequence, the lines between reality and fiction collapse, and

his personal catharsis becomes a performative act. The audience within the film watches his

transformation, as do the viewers of the film itself.

This scene acts as a metatextual comment on storytelling: Ved literally takes control

of his narrative, performing his pain, realisation, and freedom. As Jean Baudrillard argues in

Simulacra and Simulation, the postmodern subject is surrounded by simulations that replace
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the real (Baudrillard 2). Ved’s identity is first a simulation of a good employee, a good son,

and a successful adult until he chooses to break the loop through a theatrical reclamation.

2.4 Hyperreality and Role-Playing

Jean Baudrillard’s idea of hyperreality helps us understand Ved’s life in the corporate

world. Hyperreality is when fake or simulated experiences feel more real than actual life. Ved

doesn’t just pretend to be someone else—he has forgotten his real self. In his office job, he

puts on a fake accent, smiles when he doesn’t mean it, and practices how to greet people in

the mirror. The office sequences represent simulacra—institutions that demand conformity.

Ved’s daily routine is edited like a montage, with robotic gestures and repetitive greetings that

simulate normalcy. His performance at the annual meeting, where he tells a story instead of

the expected report, breaks this illusion, symbolising the collapse of the hyperreal.

Baudrillard writes, “We live in a world where there is more and more information,

and less and less meaning” (Baudrillard 79). Ved’s breakdown is a rebellion against this

meaninglessness.

When Tara meets this version of him in Delhi, she tells him, “Tum toh pahadon se baatein

karte ho..tum woh ho Ved.” (Tamasha 1.1120- 1.1123) Ved has become a polished, artificial

version of himself. He’s not living a life—he’s performing a role shaped by corporate

expectations. The “real” Ved is buried under layers of behaviour copied from others.

Baudrillard would say Ved is trapped in a simulation, a copy of a copy with no original.

2.5 No Single Meaning, Just One Story Among Many

Roland Barthes introduced the idea of the death of the author. He believed that once a

story is written, it no longer belongs to the author but to the reader. Tamasha follows this

idea. The film never gives us a clear moral or message. Is it a love story? A story about

mental health? A rebellion against society? It can be any of these, depending on how you see

it. The final scenes don’t give us a fixed ending. Ved performs his play and smiles, but we are
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not told whether he becomes successful or happy. The meaning is left open. The viewer is

invited to decide what the story means. In this way, the film puts the audience in charge of the

interpretation, not the filmmaker.

Van Hill in his essay states, “Postmodern film often resists closure... Narrative

becomes open-ended, circular, or even broken altogether” (Hill 145). The open-ended nature

of the film justifies the statement made by Van Hill and exhibits the postmodern theme of

open-endedness.

2.6 Intertextuality and Pastiche

In Tamasha, the scene where young Ved listens to the storyteller narrate tales from the

Ramayana, Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha, Helen of Troy, and the birth of Krishna is a great

example of intertextuality, a key feature of postmodernism. These stories come from different

cultures and times, but they’re all told together, showing how stories are connected and

influence each other. This mix of legends highlights how people, especially someone like

Ved, grow up shaped by many different narratives. It also reflects the idea that our identities

are built from the stories we hear and believe in. By blending these well-known tales, the film

shows that no story stands alone—every story is part of a bigger web.

2.7 Metafiction and Self-Reflexivity

At its core, Tamasha is a film about storytelling. It frequently draws attention to the

process of narrative construction, using the motif of a "performance" or "tamasha" to

symbolize the artificiality and performativity of identity and social roles. The film openly

acknowledges its own constructedness, particularly through its layered structure, where the

protagonist’s life is juxtaposed with staged performances and theatrical representations.

The recurring presence of a storyteller figure who opens and closes the film further

enhances the meta-narrative dimension. This character blurs the boundary between the world
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of the film and the act of storytelling itself, reminding viewers that what they are watching is

a version of a story among many possible ones.

2.8 Irony and Detachment

This postmodern characteristic can be understood by analysing the scene where Ved

attends a party and a man comes up to him and asks “How are you?” (Tamasha 1.45.48-

1.46.30) and Ved loses his cool. Instead of offering the expected, polite response, Ved breaks

down and confesses that he is not fine at all—that he is struggling internally. The man, visibly

uncomfortable, responds casually, “Par woh toh sab poochte hain ‘How are you?’” (Tamasha

1.46.37- 1.46.39). His remark highlights the central irony of the moment: a question that

appears empathetic is revealed to be an empty social convention, asked out of habit rather

than concern. This scene reflects the postmodern condition of emotional detachment in

contemporary society, where individuals participate in scripted interactions that lack sincerity.

It shows how society has become numb to genuine emotional inquiry, preferring surface-level

politeness over real connection. Ved’s emotional outburst disrupts this script, exposing the

discomfort people feel when confronted with real vulnerability. It critiques a world where

honest expression is not only unexpected but almost inappropriate in social settings governed

by surface-level civility. The scene captures the postmodern tension between authenticity and

performance, showing how language itself can become hollow when it loses its connection to

genuine human experience.

A notable postmodern element in Tamasha is the song “Heer Toh Badi Sad Hai,”

which plays during Tara’s emotional turmoil. Instead of a melancholic tune, the film features

an upbeat, dance-like number that contrasts sharply with her feelings of longing and

heartbreak. This mismatch breaks from traditional Bollywood norms that align music with

character sentiment, creating emotional dissonance. Such ironic juxtapositions highlight the

postmodern nature of the film, emphasising fragmentation and self-awareness in storytelling.

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Chapter Three: Analysis of Postmodern Elements in Ludo

Postmodernism in cinema thrives on fragmentation, intertextuality, irony, and a

deliberate rejection of grand narratives. Anurag Basu’s Ludo (2020), a dark comedy that

weaves together four different storylines, is emblematic of this aesthetic. The film defies

linear structure, revels in hyperreality, and questions notions of morality and fate, embodying

quintessential postmodern traits. This chapter analyses Ludo using key theories of

postmodernism to argue that Basu’s film is a quintessential example of postmodern

storytelling in contemporary Hindi cinema.

3.1 Fragmentation, Ambiguity and Non-linear Narrative

One of the most distinguishable postmodern features in Ludo is its fragmented

structure. The film constantly shifts between the past and the present, making the narrative

nonlinear, but interestingly, it doesn’t confuse the audience. The past recaps are integrated so

seamlessly that they provide context to current events. The film presents four stories that

intersect and diverge without prioritising one over the other. This disjointedness echoes

Fredric Jameson’s concept of the “waning of affect” and the “loss of historicity” (Jameson

27), where the narrative becomes a simulacrum of reality rather than a coherent reflection of

it. In Ludo, time is neither stable nor linear; past and present often blur. This structural

multiplicity disrupts classical cause-and-effect continuity.

David Bordwell identifies a hallmark of postmodern cinema as “network narratives,”

where “characters and actions are linked more by chance or coincidence than by necessity”

(Bordwell 83). This aligns with Ludo’s thematic and visual design—characters collide due to

absurd coincidences, like Bittu’s suitcase ending up with Akash and Shruti, or Sattu Bhaiya’s

random killings influencing all storylines. Such serendipitous intersections reflect the

postmodern embrace of chance over causality.

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In Ludo, director Anurag Basu reflects Jean-François Lyotard’s idea of rejecting

metanarratives, especially the metanarrative of morality. Right from the opening scene, Basu

challenges the belief that good actions lead to good outcomes and bad actions lead to

punishment. He asks, “Did all those who died in corona do something bad?” (Ludo 6.12-

6.18), suggesting that karma may not exist and that God is not fair. He compares life to a

game of Ludo, where human lives are moved around at random. This idea runs through the

entire film. The characters do not neatly fall into categories of good or evil. A criminal might

act with love and loyalty, while an honest person might face constant struggle. The film

avoids giving moral lessons or rewarding good behaviour. Instead, it presents a world where

morality is not fixed, but changes depending on each person's situation. In this way, Ludo

rejects the grand story that morality always guides life and embraces the idea that truth is

made up of many different experiences.

3.2 Irony, Parody, and Self-reflexivity

Irony pervades Ludo in both form and content. Raj and Shruti’s decision to blackmail

themselves out of an extramarital sex scandal becomes farcically absurd when juxtaposed

with their otherwise middle-class morality. This comic reversal mocks societal norms,

mirroring Linda Hutcheon’s theory of postmodern “complicit critique”, where parody and

irony serve as tools of subversion without offering a moral centre (Hutcheon 11). Ludo offers

no heroes, only flawed, often ridiculous characters who mirror the chaos of the world they

inhabit.

The film’s self-reflexivity is underscored by the presence of the narrator, played by

Anurag Basu himself, who sets up the central metaphor of the game of Ludo. In this diegetic

framing, characters are likened to coloured tokens on a board, and fate becomes a player. This

narrative device draws attention to the artificiality of storytelling, a defining postmodern

technique. Jean-François Lyotard argues that postmodernism is marked by “incredulity

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toward metanarratives” (Lyotard xxiv). In Ludo, the omniscient narrator does not provide

coherence but highlights how random and absurd life and narrative itself can be.

3.3 Intertextuality and Pastiche

Ludo cleverly uses intertextuality and pastiche to blend genres and pay tribute to

Bollywood’s cinematic past. The background score and aesthetic elements deliberately mimic

older Hindi cinema tropes—retro music, melodramatic lighting, and ironic slow-motion

shots.

The film is filled with references that rely on the audience’s familiarity with iconic

films and characters. A notable example is when Akash meets Sattu Bhaiya and is asked to

speak in the style of Deewar—a classic 1975 film. Akash then mimics Amitabh Bachchan’s

intense dialogue delivery, turning a tense gangster encounter into a humorous moment. This

scene highlights intertextuality, where a film refers to another to create new meaning. Sattu

Bhaiya himself is a pastiche of the typical 90s Bollywood villain—he is violent, yet comical

and eccentric, blending crime and absurdity without mocking the original style. Similarly,

Aloo’s character echoes the classic romantic hero but with a twist; his spontaneous dance

moves resemble Mithun Chakraborty’s disco style, offering both nostalgia and humour. Bittu

represents the tragic gangster trying to reconnect with his daughter, similar to roles in films

like Vaastav, but his story is presented in a surreal, almost playful manner. Rahul and Sheeja

fall into the trope of accidental criminals often seen in dark comedies. These characters are

not parodied but reimagined, using familiar styles in exaggerated ways. This aligns with

Fredric Jameson’s idea of pastiche as “blank parody”—an imitation of earlier styles without

satire (Jameson 17). As Linda Hutcheon notes, postmodern works often reflect on the act of

storytelling itself and use references to question originality (Hutcheon 5). Ludo does exactly

this, creating a layered narrative that is both entertaining and self-aware.

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Further, Basu’s visual language draws upon global cinematic techniques—like Wes

Anderson’s symmetrical compositions or Quentin Tarantino’s stylized violence—which are

absorbed into the fabric of Ludo without acknowledgment. As Thomas Elsaesser and Malte

Hagener note, “Postmodern films are often hybridized and globalized texts that operate

through borrowing and bricolage” (Elsaesser and Hagener 150). Ludo exemplifies this

through its aesthetic eclecticism.

3.4 Hyperreality and Simulation

A crucial postmodern motif in Ludo is its simulation of a world where morality is

fluid and reality itself is suspect. Baudrillard’s concept of hyperreality—where the boundary

between the real and the simulated collapses—is evident in the artificial moral landscape of

the film. For instance, Rahul and Sheeja, who accidentally discover a suitcase of money,

become unlikely antiheroes who both participate in and escape from criminality. Their sudden

transformation from underdogs to gun-wielding avengers feels both thrilling and surreal.

The climactic hospital shootout scene exemplifies hyperreality. With rapid

intercutting, slow-motion, heightened music, and improbable coincidences, the scene plays

like a stylized video game rather than reality. It mimics real-world stakes but undercuts them

with absurdity. Baudrillard writes, “It is the real which is disappearing, not the simulation”

(Baudrillard 19). The film’s world is not an imitation of reality but a distorted mirror where

chaos reigns.
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3.5 Death of the Author and Multiplicity of Meaning

Roland Barthes’ seminal essay “The Death of the Author” is particularly resonant in

interpreting Ludo, where meaning is decentralised. No character’s story dominates; no moral

lens guides the viewer. The spectator is left to draw individual conclusions about guilt,

justice, and fate. The absence of authorial judgment in the film aligns with Barthes’ call to

free the text from “the tyranny of meaning” (Barthes 148).

Even the framing device of the narrator—a godlike figure who explains the metaphor

of the game—ultimately recedes into ambiguity. Is he the author? Fate? A trickster? His role

is deliberately vague, underscoring the postmodern distrust of authoritative voices.

Ludo is a vibrant, chaotic, and deeply layered text that embodies postmodern cinema

through its fragmentation, irony, intertextuality, and scepticism of coherence. Anurag Basu’s

film turns the game of life into a literal board game, where meaning is not fixed and chance

governs all. In doing so, it exemplifies what postmodernism in cinema strives to articulate:

the absurdity, multiplicity, and undecidability of the human condition.

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Chapter Four: Comparative Analysis

Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha and Anurag Basu’s Ludo are significant contributions to

postmodern Hindi cinema. Both films challenge conventional storytelling by adopting

fragmented narratives, playful styles, and subversive character arcs. Drawing on key

characteristics of postmodern theory, such as the decline of grand narratives (Lyotard),

fragmentation (Jameson), hyperreality (Baudrillard), and self-reflexivity (Hutcheon), this

analysis explores how these films embody and diverge in their postmodern expressions.

4.1 Narrative Structure

Postmodern cinema often replaces linear causality with fragmented or cyclical

narratives. Tamasha unfolds through a non-linear timeline—Ved’s journey between Corsica

and Delhi, childhood and adulthood, repression and expression. The structure is circular: Ved

must return to his storytelling roots to reclaim his identity. The film opens with a robot-like

office sequence and a play, suggesting metafiction and role-play from the outset.

In contrast, Ludo embraces the hyperlink narrative form. It interweaves four parallel

stories connected by chance and the character of Sattu Bhaiya, mimicking a game of Ludo.

Each subplot touches briefly but significantly on the others, mirroring the dice-rolling

unpredictability of life. As Whisnant notes, in postmodern film, "All interpretations are...

equally valid, since there is no 'ultimate truth'".

While Tamasha uses internal fragmentation—Ved’s psychological split between

"robot Ved" and "storyteller Ved"—Ludo employs external fragmentation, dividing the

narrative across multiple characters and storylines. Both films resist closure and resolution,

instead offering open-ended narratives that reflect the chaos and multiplicity of the

postmodern world.
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4.2 Style and Aesthetic

Both films adopt a distinctly postmodern aesthetic, emphasizing spectacle, artifice,

and stylization. As Strinati writes, postmodern culture prioritizes “surface and style… at the

expense of content, substance and meaning”.

In Tamasha, the whimsical tone of the Corsica scenes—with dramatic music,

exaggerated acting, and rule-breaking behavior—contrasts with the grey realism of Ved’s

office life. The style shifts depending on Ved’s psychological state. When he begins to

unravel, the mise-en-scène becomes increasingly chaotic and surreal.

In Ludo, stylization becomes a narrative tool. The narrator (God-like figure)

contextualizes events like a storyteller controlling a game. The use of slow-motion, split

screens, musical interludes, and color-coded character arcs (red, yellow, blue, green) invokes

the playful bricolage aesthetic Hill attributes to postmodernism—“the process of adapting

and juxtaposing old and new texts, images, ideas… to produce whole new meanings”.

4.3 Setting and Temporality

Postmodern films frequently manipulate time and space, creating a sense of

disorientation. As Strinati states, postmodern texts “lead to increasing confusion and

incoherence in social senses of space and time”.

In Tamasha, Corsica represents a utopian "elsewhere" where identities are fluid and

time feels suspended. The boundaries between fiction and reality blur, as Ved and Tara agree

to role-play and “not reveal their real names.” Delhi, on the other hand, is oppressive and

linear—a space of capitalist routines.

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In Ludo, setting is less symbolic and more structural. The film constantly cuts

between spaces—hospitals, apartments, nightclubs, trains—creating a sense of simultaneity

and overstimulation. The urban landscape is hyperreal, especially with the integration of

digital surveillance and viral media. Baudrillard defines this as “a hallucination of the real…

mixed into one with the real world so that there are no more boundaries between the real and

the unreal”.

4.4 Character Arcs and Identity

Tamasha presents Ved as a deeply fractured postmodern subject, one whose identity is

shaped by the roles he performs for others. His journey is marked by a struggle to break free

from the scripted version of himself imposed by society. He is not a traditionally heroic figure

but one whose authenticity is constantly questioned, even by himself. This introspective

character arc aligns with postmodernism’s interrogation of fixed identity and essential

selfhood.

In Ludo, however, identity is even more fluid and relative. The film features an ensemble

cast of characters whose stories run parallel but rarely converge meaningfully. Each character

is eccentric, morally ambiguous, and caught in absurd circumstances. None of them occupy a

central position, and their arcs are defined not by transformation but by reaction to chaotic

events. The film parodies archetypes such as the gangster, the lover, and the common man,

turning them into playful exaggerations. Whereas Tamasha focuses on one individual’s

fragmentation, Ludo disperses identity across a multitude of figures, each embodying a

different facet of postmodern urban life.

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4.5 Cinematography and Mise-en-Scène

Both films use cinematography and mise-en-scène to reflect internal states and

postmodern chaos. Tamasha shifts visual tones—from warm, saturated hues in Corsica to

dull, grey filters in the office—to externalise Ved’s repression. The chaotic editing during his

breakdown sequence (Ved fighting with his boss, being thrown out) reflects a breakdown in

traditional visual coherence.

Ludo uses bright, artificial lighting and stylised tableaux to resemble a gameboard.

Editing is rapid, often jarring. Transitions are made with smash cuts, overlapping voice-overs,

and colour-coded sequences. The dice motif appears visually, grounding the narrative in the

metaphor of chance and destabilising logic.

In Ludo, music comments on the action (“Hardum Humdum” plays during a

shootout), undermining realism. According to Pratista, postmodern films often subvert

traditional sound cues to disorient or parody genre conventions. (Pratista 148).

4.6 Themes and Postmodern Concerns

At their core, both Tamasha and Ludo deal with postmodern anxieties—especially the

loss of stable identity and the search for meaning in a fragmented world. Tamasha critiques

how modern life forces people into narrow definitions of success. Ved’s journey is a battle

against the script written for him by society. The film argues that to be authentic, one must

embrace chaos, imagination, and the messiness of life. But even as it ends on a hopeful note,

that hope feels fragile—more a beginning than a conclusion.

Ludo, by contrast, doesn’t search for meaning—it revels in meaninglessness. It

suggests that life is arbitrary, governed by random encounters and absurd events. There's no

moral lesson, no central message. When characters survive, it’s by luck; when they fail, it’s

by the roll of a die. This is postmodernism at its most playful and cynical. If Tamasha is about

recovering meaning, Ludo is about laughing at its absence.

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Chapter Five: Conclusion

This dissertation has explored Tamasha (2015) and Ludo (2020) through the lens of

postmodern film theory, identifying how both films embody key characteristics of

postmodernism such as fragmented narratives, disrupted temporality, unstable identities, and

metafictional self-awareness. These films depart from conventional storytelling by embracing

narrative chaos, irony, and stylistic playfulness, reflecting the broader postmodern condition

where meaning is fluid and truth is decentralised.

Both Tamasha and Ludo focus on identity as a shifting, performative construct. Ved in

Tamasha undergoes a psychological crisis where he must dismantle societal expectations to

rediscover his authentic self. His identity, fragmented and performative, reflects Fredric

Jameson’s idea that postmodern individuals are often defined by “a series of masks and roles”

rather than a singular, unified self (Jameson 15).

Ludo, on the other hand, showcases multiple characters whose lives collide through

coincidence and chaos. These intersecting plots mirror what Linda Hutcheon describes as

“historiographic metafiction”—texts that both parody and question narrative conventions

while remaining deeply aware of their constructed nature (Hutcheon 5). The randomness of

events in Ludo, framed through a narrator representing fate, suggests that meaning itself is a

game, ever-shifting and elusive.

The aesthetics of both films—through cinematography, sound, editing, and mise-en-

scène—support their postmodern identities. Tamasha uses visual contrast between Corsica

and Delhi to highlight Ved’s internal fragmentation, while Ludo uses vibrant color coding and

rapid editing to construct a stylized narrative universe that reflects Jean Baudrillard’s idea of

hyperreality: “The real is no longer what it used to be—it has been replaced by signs of the

real” (Baudrillard 1).

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The application of postmodern theory, drawing from Lyotard, Jameson, Baudrillard,

and Hutcheon, proved to be appropriate and effective in analysing these films. Lyotard’s idea

of the “incredulity toward metanarratives” (Lyotard xxiv) helped interpret the rejection of

conventional plot structures and predictable resolutions in both films. Jameson’s analysis of

late capitalism and cultural fragmentation provided insight into the characters’ sense of

disconnection and crisis of identity.

Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality was particularly relevant to Ludo, where mediated

reality, surveillance, and digital culture play a dominant role in shaping character decisions.

Hutcheon’s ideas helped frame both films as self-aware texts that parody the very stories they

are telling, particularly Tamasha, which is framed through a theatre performance.

Using these theories allowed for a deeper understanding of how contemporary Hindi

cinema is engaging with global postmodern aesthetics while still rooted in local storytelling

traditions.

Limitations of the Study

While this dissertation focuses on two films, the findings cannot be generalised across

all of Indian cinema. Bollywood itself is a diverse, evolving industry, and while Tamasha and

Ludo offer rich postmodern textures, other films may draw more from traditional narrative or

hybrid forms that mix postmodernism with realism or melodrama.

Additionally, this study relied mainly on textual and theoretical analysis. A broader

sociological or audience-based approach, such as interviews or reception studies, could

provide further insight into how viewers interpret these films and engage with their

postmodern elements. Finally, while this study focused primarily on narrative, character, and

aesthetics, other areas like gender, class, or postcolonial concerns in relation to

postmodernism remain underexplored here.

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Scope for Further Research

Future studies could examine how postmodern techniques are being employed in

regional Indian cinemas or in web series that increasingly blur the lines between film,

television, and digital media. There is also scope to explore audience reception of such

postmodern films in India—do Indian viewers experience the confusion and multiplicity of

meaning that theorists describe? Or do they read these films differently?

Additionally, a comparative study between Indian and global postmodern cinema—

such as comparing Ludo with Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction or Tamasha with Michel

Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind could highlight both the universal and

culturally specific features of postmodern filmmaking.

Conclusion

Both Tamasha and Ludo break away from traditional storytelling and give us

something different—something more real, in a strange and fragmented way. Tamasha dives

deep into the mind of one person trying to figure out who he really is, while Ludo throws us

into a chaotic world where anything can happen, and usually does. One is emotional and

personal, the other is wild and unpredictable. But both films remind us that life doesn’t

follow a fixed path, and meaning isn’t always clear. In their own ways, they show that stories

don’t have to be neat or perfect to feel true. Sometimes, the mess is the point.

In conclusion, Tamasha and Ludo are rich, layered texts that demonstrate how Indian

filmmakers are engaging with postmodern aesthetics to tell complex, reflexive stories. These

films challenge viewers to question identity, authorship, fate, and storytelling itself. As

postmodernism continues to shape cinema in the digital age, such works push us to rethink

what a narrative can be—not a straight line, but a game, a loop, or even a question.
 Dugar 23

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