Movie Review - Zinda

If you liked Kaante and Musafir, you are going to love Zinda. Zinda, starring Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham, Lara Dutta among others, is the latest from Sanjay Gupta's stable.

For Indian Cinema, copyright means the right to copy. And Sanjay Gupta is a master of this art. Kaante was a remake of Reservoir Dogs and Musafir adapted from U-Turn. This time, for a change, he turned East. Apparently, Zinda is based on the Korean Classic OLD BOY (2003).

The movie is about a software engineer named Balajit Roy (played by Sanjay Dutt) who lives in Bangkok with his wife (played by Celina Jaitley). One fine day, Bala is abducted and remains in custody in a room for 14 long years for reasons unknown. His window to the outside world is a television in his room where sees the gory images of Sept 11, Tsunami and his beheaded wife on TV. He survives on 3 times a day wanton meal without going insane. All that he sees of his abductors is a white shoe through a hole when he is handed over food. Regularly, he is given a dose of valium during which his room is cleaned.

When he escapes or is released 14 years, he is handed over a cell phone and money. His struggle is far from over. Infact this is the beginning. In search of his abductors, he meets a cab driver Jenny (played by Lara Dutta) to show him around Bangkok and every place that makes wanton. A nice strategy to identify his abductors. One thing leads to another and he finally meets a businessman name Rohit Chopra
(played by John Abraham - his abductor), through Raj Zutshi, who abducts people.

As they put the pieces of the puzzle together, Bala comes to understand why he was abducted, why 14 years of captivity followed by a release and the shocking revelation that his wife was pregnant and delivered a kid when he was abducted. The end is too abrupt and you gotta to see the movie for the rest of the story.

Honestly, I could feel a lump in my throat when Sanjay Dutt plucks Raj Zutshi's teeth one by one with a hammer. Drilling the hands of his abductors was not that bad.

This movie will not be a commercial hit as it will not find any acceptance from Indian Cinema goers with a major section comprising of families. It is a concept too advanced lacking mushy content and high on violence. There are no item numbers. Only 2 songs throughout the movie that play in the background. Interestingly, the film is devoid of flashy colors too which is very appealing. All you get to see is a
black and bluish tint.

To sum it up, ZINDA is depicts the epitome of negativity and the heights of revenge, like no other Hindi movie has ever done. Sanjay Dutt, as usual is at his classy best. John Abraham did just about fine. You can either love it or hate it. There is nothing like "ok" with this movie. So if you have it in you, go see it.