Zinda
Tags: revenge, neo noir, violence, flashback

Plot synopsis:
The film is about a rich, successful business man named Balajeet "Bala" Roy (Sanjay Dutt), who lives a blissful life with his beautiful wife, Nisha Roy (Celina Jaitley). Nisha is expecting their first child together. Bala is suddenly captured for an unknown reason and kept alive in a cell without knowing who his captives are and the reason behind it. While in captivity, he practices martial arts which he learns from watching T.V., with the intention of using it against the people who captured him. When he is released, 14 years later, he sets out for revenge. As the film moves on, he is helped by a taxi driver Jenny (Lara Dutta) to track his kidnapper. Bala tracks down the restaurant that had served his food, during his entire captivity and follows a delivery moped to his captors. Discovering he was held in a private prison where people can pay to have others incarcerated, Bala tortures the owner Wong Foo (Rajendranath Zutshi) for answers by plucking out his teeth with a clawhammer; he then finds out he was imprisoned for "talking too much", and fights his way out of the building. Injured Bala is helped out by a hooded man who takes him to a taxi. The hooded man turns out to be Rohit Chopra (John Abraham). Soon Wong Foo kidnaps Jenny and tortures her. He threatens Bala to remove his teeth with his clawhammer by himself, but is interrupted by Rohit. Bala grows intimate with Jenny and has sex with her. Bala is informed that her daughter is alive. During tracking, he encounters his kidnapper which is none other than Rohit. In his flashback, Rohit reveals his reason of kidnapping Bala that during their childhood, Bala's lustful eyes falls on Rohit's elder sister Reema Chopra. After she slaps Bala for gifting a panty, Bala spreads a false rumour that his sister is a whore. And he fools little Rohit by sticking a message on his back. She becomes a laughing stock for all school. She commits suicide by burning herself. This left Rohit broken and deciding to seek revenge. Back to the present it is also revealed that his daughter is safe and she is now a 14 year old girl. Rohit helped Nisha during her pregnancy and delivery timsecale. When her daughter was 1 year old Rohit killed Nisha. Rohit helped and cared his daughter for 14 years. But Rohit sells his daughter to a brothel and bids her. Rohit is beaten up by Bala & he pleads him to tell where is his daughter. Rohit leaves Bala's hand & falls from the balcony and dies. Bala kills all of the goons and Wong Foo with a sword. At the end his daughter is safe and found sitting near a lake. Rohit just want to show the damage of Bala's action.

Review: I found myself in tears of laughter at how bad this really was in every way possible.I think the most tickling moment is when they tried to re enact the "hammer" fight scene with a hugely inflated Sanjay Dutt - it was like seeing a hippo on speed - the original was one of the most memorable fight scenes ever choreographed but this was like a terrible outtake.I hope the actors and director of this nonsense look back at it and cringe with embarrassment because I certainly did.Hollywood have their crack at Oldboy released some time this year, I hope and pray it's not as bad as Zinda - one thing this film is not is Zinda for sure - its DEAD from the opening scene !!!.
It is to me like a bonus track of a beloved album, no more no less.So i got no hesitation in checking Zinda as well (i was even excited actually) 'cause the original must be in my all-time best 10, but, oh my..I won't say any more about this XEROX COPY crap.
As far as i've read on internet articles, Sanjay and his people haven't even paid a penny to the original Oldboy makers for doing this, which means Zinda is not an official remake of Oldboy.
Instead, Sanjay's kept saying he's got a bit INSPIRED ONLY and Zinda is totally different from Oldboy or something like that.
To them I ask one question: "What kind of filmmakers make remakes of a movie when the original came out two years ago and has been selling DVDs very well internationally?" It seems that this particular brand of Indian cinema has decided that it is quite content making money off of other people idea for free.
I'm sure the good voting only were given by people who didn't see the original movie.Please watch Oldboy - you will not waste your time.
I trust I need do no more than that to make my point:"It is unfortunate that bollywood ripped off OLDBOY, but if that is the only way that the Indian audiences would get a glimpse of what the original was like, so be it" (Huh?
But I should say that it is a great experiment by Indian cinema" (Yeah, a repeat experiment -- like where somebody else first came up with the ideas and took the risks before you came along and decided to do the exact same thing)"The legendary action-scene with the hammer looks as hard as it was in Korean version".
Do the police come to you for psychic impressions when they run out of clues?)(And what does this mean): "There is no doubt that 'ZINDA' is a complete rip-off of Korean movie 'OLDBOY' but I must add that it is an excellent adaptation of 'OLDBOY'".--And I won't spoil the pristine effect of these following remarks by adding my own commentaries:"Hollywood is also planning a rip of this one, so what's the fuss all about""People tell me that this movie is inspired/copied or total remake of a Korean masterpiece "OldBoy"; but I don't mind it""Yes agreed that he copies other films scene by scene, but who doesn't?
At least Sanjay Gupta makes a good replica of a film""Copy of old boy backed up with Sanjay direction makes it truly a ride you will never forget"."The story may be inspired from a Korean film, or so we are told, but is doesn't matter because no one's really seen it"..
OK, first off, this movie should be renamed to MURDA (dead).Seeing this film's previews earlier on, and with Sanjay Dutt's comments that he plays a very complicated character, it had everything going for it until it suddenly became clear that its a ripoff of a recent Korean movie, Oldboy.
I believe there is no credit in copying a movie like the way Sanjay Gupta does.It is unethical on his part, and by seeing the movie I also feel a part of this crime.But in this part of the world ( i.e India) people hardly care,even songs are copied by the likes of Pritam and credit is never given.So, to comment on how the movie was , would be a way to validate what Sanjay Gupta has done.I can only say that Old Boy is a wonderful movie and is better than Zinda in every possible way.There are lots of goof ups in the movie,the fight scenes are not synchronized, the acting is below standard (particularly John Abraham).I feel except the title track nothing is good..
Having seen the Korean movie that Zinda is based on, and realizing how difficult a job Sanjay Gupta had on his hands, I went into this screening giving Zinda all the chance I could.
What I eventually ended up watching got me thinking: Since Gupta has seen the original, what did he see at all in his version that he let it be released in cinemas?
At his aid are a Female Punjabi Cab Driver (Lara Dutta) and his childhood friend (Mahesh Manjrekar).Sanjay Gupta and Sanjay Dutt as White Feather Films make a formidable team.
To give credit where due, Sanjay Gupta does make an attempt towards a movie like nothing we have 'seen' before.
Although i must admit, both Sanjay Dutt and John Abhraham tried their best and it can be seen.Surprisingly, for an Indian movie, there were couple of occasions where they used very offensive language!
I do not know if this is a remake or not since I have not seen the Korean movie.But I did see shades of - Fight Club, American History and Quentin Tarantino.This movie is really dark, some scenes are brutally gruesome with a not needed love making scene and with no unwanted song and dance.
Sanjay Dutt has done excellent justice to his role.I liked the movie for being very straight in the face story rather than showing the story in a convoluted lovey-dovey way.
Lets get to the point:- This is movie is highly flawed.This movie could have been much better.It can take days describing the bad parts about the movie for example how again SG wasted to much time making the film stylish and cool and forgot that there is a script.But lets forget that, lets also forget that this movie is a remake (By the way we made this remake before Hollywood hahahahah hell i gave one star extra just for that ), the point is this movie is Bold and different.And boy do we need different.
that and the fact that the movie is only 115 minutes long make the movie watchable.please watch this film because i don't know how many more flops Sanjay Gupta can bear (cause the music is good but not as good as musafir) we need more directors to make different films..
I really enjoyed the movie and the cinematography was excellent it's like aqua blue I think its to suite the mood for the film and I wanted to watch it because Sanjay Dutt & John Abraham are in it and they are my most favourite actors & they both did a terrific job.
It is quite violent it has drilling arms and teeth extraction with a hammer definitely not for the squeamish but the story is brilliant with a surprise ending.My favourite songs are:Zinda Hoon Main (Dance Mix), Yeh Hai Meri Kahani & Chal Rahi Hai Saanse It is a remake of Oldboy I have not seen it and I don't think I ever can because I don't know Korean & I'm not keen in Korean films and it's annoying watching a film of a different language you can with subtitles but yours eyes will be on the bottom of the screen the whole time.
Bala, by chance, meets up with an Indian cab driver Jenny (Dutta) and the rest of the film is about how he goes about finding out who his captor was, why and how his captivity took place.If you have seen Oldboy and think this is an exact copy, think again.
The camera work the dialogues and especially the song Zinda Hoon with Sanjay Dutt starring in it are mind blowing.
I know many people love the original OldBoy so they will despise this movie for ripping it off and changing things (incest is a BIG no-no in Bollywood), but if you're really a fan of the OldBoy story, you will probably be intrigued by this movie and I highly recommend that you take some time out to watch it and enjoy it instead of just being critical of it.A great movie, with great acting, amazing music, and great cinematography.
'Zinda' is different in two respects.first it is a copy of a Korean movie 'oldboy' which is refutes anyhow and second it is a clear example of how gifted he actually is.
it seems that a bunch of school kids were given the DVD of the Korean movie and asked to make its Indian remake in shortest time possible and they came with 'zinda'.
'zinda' is a good flick only if you have not seen the 'oldboy'.his earlier works are also copies like 'kante' whose first half is taken from 'usual suspects' while the later half is borrowed from ' reservoir dogs'.
what is the use of watching it in theater if you know how it will start and end.Mumbai film industry has a long history of copying from the Hollywood but there is very few examples like 'zinda'.
It is known that Zinda is rip-off of Korean flick "Oldboy" but as they say that "Nakal ke liye bhi akal chahiye"(U need brains even to copy something) and i'm sure that the majority of people in India had not even heard of the movie(including me).
Zinda provides a fresh air to Bollywood and keeps Alive the thriller theme.Sanjay Dutt steals the whole show this time and it was good to see him not in his usual punk role but a role of great maturity.
I am a big fan of the Sanjay Dutt-Gupta duo and was waiting for this movie and i was not disappointed.
You will cringe when you look at hammer after watching the movie.Sanjay Dutt attempted hard but a couple of things did not fall into place.
People tell me that this movie is inspired/copied or total remake of a Korean masterpiece "OldBoy"; but I don't mind it, till the time outcome is good.
But, the strong point of the movie is it never wavers from its storyline - they have tried to make it as sleek as possible.Sanjay Dutt once again stands tall with his superb performance - his desperation depicted both through his eyes and body language is a treat to watch.
If you think about it, Zinda is a usual revenge film - but the only difference is the audience is not aware of the reason behind Sanjay Dutt's imprisonment until the climax, unlike other revenge films.
He is a guy that knows which films to sign for (especially the Sanjay Gupta ones) and acts to perfection.John Abraham is another actor to look out for.
Mahesh Manjrekar has a small role which he does an OK job, while Celina Jaitley is hardly there.Overall, if you like Sanjay Gupta films, this one is for you.
This film is also a must for Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham fans..
"Well the movie would be something different ".......dats what I thought while watching the trailers and when you are a John Abraham fan........then you cant miss dis........well....the story starts like this Balajeet ROY(SANJAY) is a cool dude who meets his friend(Mahesh) and shifts out from his home turf.....India......ready to *beep* wife Celina.........but things go bad......when all of a sudden Bala is kidnapped and put in a "well furnished" room for god damn 15 years.....without any explanation he is released.....and then is asked by a stranger to find out how is he related to him..............within 4 days...............all he will die.....................The movie moves on ......on a pace......that one desires......the action sequences however do not fulfill to the need of the script......but still the movie is what I call good.........And considering John's exquisite power-packed performance......this movie rocks...........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First time post Aatish he has attained a proper mix of content & style, Kaante was good but it was too high on split screens & techno wizardy , not that Zinda isn't slick....in fact it's Gupta's slickest film to date without getting carried away with those exquisite camera angles,back ground score & color filters.Every1 knows about the story , so nothing new to be revealed here.
He provides Zinda that much needed extra edge, surely amongst his best(if not the best).Sanjay Gupta is a hack but this is a good remake(although i haven't seen OldBoy), in fact its a good film by any possible standard, good to see him getting it right finally(well almost!?!).All in all a must see for any1 & evrey1 who wants some relief from regular hackeneyed bollywood offerings.9/10 I'LL BE Surprised IF SANJAY DUTT DOESN'T PICK SOME AWARDS FOR THIS PERFOMENCE!.
But I should say that it is a great experiment by Indian cinema and successful up to an extent.Though this movie is great, in terms of direction, acting (hats off to Sanjay Dutt), but still I personally not advice people of weak heart and children should not watch this movie.
Zinda is bold, violent & does not hold back any punches.Balajeet Roy (Sanjay Dutt) is your regular man seeking a good life, a great future and a beautiful life partner.
After the visually enticing, yet story-wise shallow Musafir, Gupta is back with Zinda.A tale of Balajit Roy (Sanjay Dutt), imprisoned for 14 years in a secluded Bangkok prison, without knowing the person or motive behind his suffering, unfolds in Zinda over almost three hours.
To add a dash of spice, there's Jenny (Lara Dutta), the taxi driver who takes Balajit around town, enmeshing herself in his story in the process.Just like good music is a package deal with any Yashraj movie, westernised treatment and visual panache comes with every Sanjay Gupta project The monotones in the film (mostly blacks and blues) give it a rich, classy feel, and emphasises the dark theme.
If Kaante was his first brush with avant garde (read modern), new millennium movie lore, then with Zinda, director Sanjay Gupta gifts Bollywood its first full-blown art- marries- masala flick.
Those Indians have seen Oldboy and those who haven't will be equally surprised with the ending as Sanjay deviates from the original and, at the same time, tries to make it hard-hitting.
So, take that whole baloney of Sanjay Gupta being an original director and stuff and put it in the garbage because we have an other copy here.This is the official story of Oldboy in IMDb...
Sanjay Dutt an John Abraham did a very mediocre job at acting their respective roles.Personally, I feel that Oldboy shouldn't have been remade in the first place (I don't have too high hopes for the 2013 Hollywood remake either) but Bollywood screwed up big time by making this laughable attempt at a remake..
Sanjay Dutt is a fabulous actor and gave his absolute all to breathe some life into this corpse of a film called Zinda but alas, he couldn't manage it.
A good movie, definitely doesn't compare to the original but goes a long way in introducing new themes to bollywood.
And although Zinda is a rip off, it needs to be argued that movies like these go a long way to introduce the Indian audiences to a higher level of acceptance of mature themes.
People have started appreciating good cinema, and bold themes like Zinda will go a long way,encouraging directors to make movies that bold story lines.
It is unfortunate that bollywood ripped off OLDBOY, but if that is the only way that the Indian audiences would get a glimpse of what the original was like, so be it.This movie is worth a watch, if not for the action, then for the classic its inspired by, if not for the new themes in bollywood, then for Sanjay Dutt's acting..
There is no way Sanjay Gupta could have matched up to the original, given not just the fact that he just isn't as good as Chan Wook Park, but also that quite a few of the film's themes cannot be digested by the Indian audience.
The writing fails again when we get to the end, where it seems like the writers just looked at their watches and decided that it was time the movie ended.In essence, yes, the film is a complete ripoff of Oldboy, and the nothing, not the acting, not the direction, nothing at all, matches up to Oldboy, but if you must have a bad analogy, think of this as something similar to what 'The Departed' did to 'Infernal Affairs' (and if anyone thought Departed was a good film, make sure you never run into me or I will morph into a finger wielding, hateful comment writing SOB sooner than you can say 'plagiaristic, over-hyped crap'!) Coming back to the point, Zinda exposes the common Indian audience to a kind of cinema that they have never seen before.
All in all, I would day Sanjay Gupta has made a remake which is definitely better than the original!.
I would expect better from Sanjay Dutt when I consider his past but I think John Abraham did a very good job in this movie.
By the way, the hammer fight scene in the corridor was lame, especially the knife on Sanjay Dutt's back looked as if it was added later on but still I wouldn't call it that bad, it was more than an average movie...
Acting by Sanjay Dutt and the rest of the cast was amazing and i hope to see more films from India like this one soon..
Zinda can be praised for being ahead of it's times, the film has a different plot, for people who have not watched Oldboy.