click for larger view

When director Sanjay Gupta and actor Sanjay Dutt decided to turn producers and formed their banner White Feather Films, they assembled a huge cast in their first film 'Kaante'. Amitabh Bachchan was a co-star with Sanjay Dutt in that film but this Friday the tables have turned the other way. Sanjay Dutt and Sanjay Gupta after making two 'Kaante' and 'Plan' return with 'Zinda', and Amitabh Bachchan who was a supporter then, poses a tough competition with his new film 'Family'. Those who have seen Sanjay Gupta's other films know that he is a class apart and he sticks too his image this time too. Sanjay Gupta of late has created a sort of new genre in Hindi cinema.

This genre is dark, gory and bloody violent. Here, there is no place for love and romance. What the main protégé does in every frame is to search for his enemy and teach him a lesson either by hook or by crook. And, it is not an easy drift from the stereotype. In his effort to compete with world cinema, Sanjay Gupta is leaving a strong dent on the psyche and culture of Hindi cinema. The language he used for his characters in 'Kaante' was not welcome by audience. He stuck to his terminology in other films too and now in 'Zinda' he returns with a theme that will make even gory films of the West and the other world run for a place to hide. Welcome to new age cinema from Bollywood.

click for larger view

For starters 'Zinda' is not your run-of-the-mill masala action film that comes across on Fridays. 'Zinda' promises to be away from the set trends of Hindi cinema in its own way. If 'Kaante', 'Plan' and 'Musafir' were inspired by the West, 'Zinda' draws its inspiration from films made in China, Korea and Hong Kong. To be precise, Sanjay Gupta tries to lift the plot for his new outing from famous film 'Old Boy'. Set in haunting locales of Bangkok, 'Zinda' goes 14 years back and then jumps to the present day.

click for larger view

The film starts with many flashes of the past establishing the time gap from the present. You see news about death of Princess Diana flashed, then you see 9/11 taking place, you also notice news of tsunami and then cut to present. The story starts with Bala (Sanjay Dutt) caged in a cell. Bala was an intelligent software engineer who came to Bangkok with his wife Nisha (Celina Jaitely) for a bright future. But, the fate had some thing else for him. One fine day, he is abducted for reasons not known to him. He has no connection with the outside world. The present is like a Halloween for Bala. As unknown people abducted him mysteriously, so is his release after 14 years.

click for larger view

He sets about to find the mystery behind his exile and in his search for this gets help from a voluptuous woman, Jenny (Lara Dutta) and a maverick (Mahesh Manjrekar). The mysteries lead to one suspense after another and finally when the true culprit's identity (John Abraham) is revealed before him, his faith collapses like the World Trade Center. The drama, the chase and the chances that one takes upon others create scenes of intrigue, deception and deceit. And, this 'Zinda' is all about.

click for larger view

As a filmmaker of his own created genre, Sanjay Gupta has become master. With his trusted cinematographer Sanjay F Gupta, he once again creates an ambience that is very befitting for his kind of story. Remember how he changed the atmosphere of fun-filled Goa to match his narration in 'Musafir'. He does the same to Bangkok this time. He gets immense help from his technical team to keep the audience at the edge of their cinema seats. But as is rightly said that extreme is never welcome anywhere; it applies for 'Zinda' too. To create a sort of record of blood bath, Sanjay Gupta goes on a rampage.

click for larger view

He gives a drill machine in Sanjay Dutt's hand to make a hole in the body of an opponent. He gives a hammer to break the teeth of another and the brutal revenge goes on and on. It looks like Sanjay Dutt is desperate to snatch the angry old man tag from Amitabh Bachchan. Sanjay Gupta comes to his help and how? He makes a mockery of all that on the silver screen. It is true that people appreciate Sanjay Dutt in action scenes but making him behave like a butcher, will not be acceptable, at least in the Hindi belt. The music part is also missing in the film except for the title and theme songs.

click for larger view

Among actors, it is a Sanjay Dutt film right from the word go. He does the role of Bali as the director could have thought of it. But, in his efforts to look extreme in his brutal behavior, Sanjay Dutt develops a kind of an image that will not go down easily even with his diehard fans. Otherwise, he is perfect in the role of Bali. But as Raj Kumar Santoshi failed in 'Family' to create a right kind of equation against Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Gupta does a miscast in John Abraham.

click for larger view

On his part John does everything to fit in place but his young and charming looks may have worked in his favor in 'Dhoom', but his efforts prove futile in 'Zinda'. Celina Jaitely and Lara Dutt turn out to be just props in the fast paced proceedings of the film. Mahesh Manjrekar is once again a pass. In totality, 'Zinda' is a let down for those who go to cinema for entertainment. However, the younger generation that has grown up playing violent video games may give some relief in metros to the makers. Otherwise in small towns it will find very tough to sail through.