Yeh Saali Zindagi
Tags: neo noir

Plot synopsis:
Arun (Irrfan Khan) is a Chartered Accountant who works for Mr. Mehta (Saurabh Shukla) and helps him run his illegal business. Arun is in love with Priti (Chitrangada Singh), but she falls for Shyam (Vipul Gupta), who was introduced to her by Arun.
After Badey, a gangster of Delhi (Yashpal Sharma), falls out of favour of Minister Verma (Anil Sharma), he is sent to jail and humiliated and beaten everyday on orders of the Minister. Satbir (Sushant Singh) is a dishonest cop who works for Badey and helps him in the jail. Kuldeep (Arunoday Singh), who is also in jail with Badey is released and goes to his wife Shanti (Aditi Rao Hydari). Badey's brother, Chhotey (Prashant Narayanan) and his gang of members, Kuldeep, Tony, Chacha, Guddu and others plan Badey's release by kidnapping Verma's to be son-in-law, Shyam and daughter, Anjali (Madhvi Singh). Things do not go as planned and they end up kidnapping Shyam and his girlfriend Priti. To ensure Shyam's safety, Priti agrees to liaise between Verma and the gangsters, not knowing that Arun had been following them since the abduction. She meets Anjali, Verma and Shyam's father Singhania (Nasser Abdullah). However, Mr. Verma, who comes to know about Shyam's affair with Priti refuses to negotiate Badey's release. Arun, in the meantime, transfers illegal and hawala money into the bank accounts of Verma's son and threatens him with leaking this information to media if he does not ensure Badey's release. However, it comes to light that Chhotey wants to get Badey out only to get details of his bank accounts and plans to kill him. Learning of this, Badey gives the details of his foreign bank accounts to Kuldeep.
Upon being rescued from the prison, Chhotey unexpectedly comes from Georgia and meets Badey. In the meantime, police reach the spot and in the cross fire, Badey escapes from Chhotey and is helped by Kuldeep and his gang. However, he gets shot in the back and later commits suicide. With Badey dead and Chhotey looking for him, Kuldeep decides to leave the country and asks Shyam's father for a ransom of ₹ 15 crores. Priti, under the guise of calling Mr. Singhania, calls Arun. Arun reaches the spot and tells Priti that he transferred ₹ 170 million into her account which should be used by her to free Shyam and herself and live a happy life. Priti, now realizes that she actually loves Arun.
Priti brings the money to a port from where Kuldeep plans to escape. Chhotey also reaches there, but Satbir double crosses him and Kuldeep kills Chhotey to avenge the murder of his father. However, one of the bullets hits a railing and ricochets and hits Arun. The gangsters leave the spot and Priti confesses to Arun that she loves him.

Review: With its many unpredictable twists and twirls and a climax that some might take with a pinch of salt, This movie is a delightfully different film that attempts to break all set formulas and leave you with a smile on the face in the end.Worth watching..
Sudhir Mishra has been making movies for some time now...
Sudhir Mishra's Yeh Saali Zindagi initially made waves for its cast, then its slightly derogative title and lastly its 22 kisses.
'Yeh Saali Zindagi' is a restless satire of the underskirts of Delhi,full of dilemma and heart With entertaining narration.Irfan Khan shows his acting skills once again by effortlessly portraying the emotions and confusions of a witty(at the same time heard-hearted) man with oceanly passion for a girl,whom he consider the women of his life.Aditi Rao Hydari (of Delhi 6 fame)introduces us to her sensual and womanly side in this dark movie and is brilliant and eye-catching.Arunodoy Singh as a tough,but cool and love-making man showers the taste of aspirations and wrong calculations.Chitrangda Singh excels as a fighting temptation and is full of feminine energy.Director Sudhir Mishra explores the not-so-smooth side of the north,their culture and enties love n crime into a single entity.Film uses a lot of profane language and swear words and has about 7 steamy scenes;the reason the film being rated 'A'.Music by Nishat khan(a well renowned sitar player) is quite good and mast.The songs like Dil Dar-Ba-Dar n Ishq Tere Jalwe is quite soothing to the rustic darkness of the movie.Verdict:In a whole the film will keep you entertained and will reveal the darker side of this life as in previous films of t director,in a darker way.
When I watch gangster capers like Yeh Saali Zindagi, I am never quite sure how to go about reviewing the movie without giving away the essence of it.
But they make up for the lack of a depth with their movie-making style – and packing the script with quirky characters Which Yeh Saali Zindagi has by bucketloads.
Holding the end of the rope is his boss, Saurabh Shukla – who doesn't think much of the womankind and their wily ways – and nor does he care about his promises to his employees.The opening scene of the movie might be a bit of a shock to some – given the coarse and vulgar language in it.
Sudhir Misra's writing and editing is crisp – so you have to follow the movie carefully to understand the twists and turns of the script.
Because the dialogues in Yeh Saali Zindagi are really profane – and all the fun is lost if you don't understand the dirty jokes – of which there are plenty The humour is irreverent (and of course very rustic).
There are mandatory backstories for most characters – and jumps between them quite abrupt – hence requires full concentration.Essentially there are two stories running in parallel in the movie – Irrfan & Chitrangada's love track and Arunoday & Aditi Rao's marriage track.
Both of them are quite the revelation – Arunoday showcasing his good physique and acting and Aditi Rao coming across as quite smouldering despite her cute Nauheed-Cyrusi-looks.
In fact there is a constant sexual tension between her and Arunoday, resulting in about a dozen slaps and two dozen liplocks in the movie But Chitrangada Singh takes all the male attention as the sultry and smoking-hot singer Priti.
The difference is that Yeh Saali Zindagi has a busload of other weirdos – gangster brothers Bade & Chhote, corrupt cop Satbeer and the motley group of henchmen.This is not Sudhir Misra's most serious movie by a mile – but the director seems to be having fun here.
But if you keep up with it, Yeh Saali Zindagi will reward you will a tumultuous thrilling ride packed with a lot of fun.You can read more of my reviews at http://bombaycinephile.blogspot.com.
This is a path-breaking film for him, as it made money at the ticket window.I enjoyed 'Yeh Saali Zindagi'.
The second hour gets confusing at times, but a satisfying climax leaves you happy.Mishra's direction is quite good.
YEH SAALI ZINDAG is an illustration of modern society and has each elements of a cult film.Sudhir Mishra is one of the finest directors, making effort to augment the magnitude of films.
Most of the characters in this bizarre crime film have colorful nicknames and profoundly profane.There are very few movies made where the director obviously did not let one FRAME onto the screen without a reason, and YEH SAALI ZINDAGI is one of them.
Nothing happens on screen without it having an effect on the plot.I think Guy Ritchie's "Lock Stock and Two smoking barrels", "Snatch" & "Rock N Rolla" are the foundation of YEH SAALI ZINDAGI.Irfan is simply outstanding – an actor of very high capability.
Yeh Saali Zindagi is one of the films which i have watched many many times.
an ensemble cast with likes of Irrfan, Yashpal Sharma, Saurabh Shukla, Prashant Narayanan, Sushant Singh and Chitrangada Singh, it gives ample chance to all of them and newcomers Arunoday and Aditi Rao also don't disappoint at all.
A total justice to the title of the movie "Yeh Saali Zindagi".
Yeh Saali Zindagi, by far, is the most 'entertaining' film directed by Sudhir Mishra.
Dark, devious and different, Yeh Saali Zindagi is brain-and-brawn drama The film, just like life, is replete with unexpected twists and never ceases to amaze!
This is the first time in my life that I have tried to encourage those who have not watched this movie to go for it (I have matured as a cinema enthusiast a bit late) and go for it soon enough.
After all the director is the one who wrote the story of one of the legendary comedy movies of all time in Bollywood -- 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron'.
Watched "Yeh saali Zindagi" First day-First show, with friends.
It is director Sudhir Mishra's first entertainment movie.
YEH SAALI ZINDAGI starts off straight away with a bloody sequence which clearly gives you an idea that the veteran film-maker is back.
But the good thing is that the film keeps on moving so fast on a tight and well written script that one doesn't get enough spare moments to think about it in details.
Frankly speaking, its Sudhir Mishra's one of the top 3 movies, in which he gets full support both from his script as well as his star cast very effectively.
But what I basically loved the most about YEH SAALI ZINDAGI is that in totality its actually a highly intense love story of a one side lover who even after knowing the fact that he is in love with a real bitch, still goes on to risk his everything for her unconditionally.The movie has a brilliant first half which starts making its impact slowly, keeps progressing at a brisk speed and then pulls the viewers completely in before the intermission.Apart from its superbly written script and its performances, there are three other things which majorly work in favour of the movie as a whole.
Above all Sudhir Mishra does deserve all his praises this time since its not an easy task to come up with an impressive movie based on such a complex kind of script with several story angles.Yet along with the above mentioned merits, I found some weak points too in the film which could have been avoided by the director as it seems.
Firstly, I felt that abusive and the foul language used in the movie was a bit over the limit which often looked like being deliberately forced into the dialogues with a purpose (That means you are not supposed to watch it with your family).
Instead the director simply could have shown anyone bending down and the bullet hitting its target.Talking about the great performances in the film, I immensely enjoyed watching Irfan Khan as the lonely lover who even has the guts to watch his girl romancing another rich boy right in front of him.
Among these veterans do also watch out for a scene in which a kid very innocently explains the spell of anger in his own amusing way.Summing up, YEH SAALI ZINDAGI is a strong and bold movie which moves away from the usual path of a song and dance bollywood film.
Since '1:40 Ki Last Local' (the last black comedy from Hindi cinema that made me laugh out loud numerous times), I haven't seen anything as funny, creative, clever and wicked of the same genre in Hindi films until 'Yeh Saali Zindagi' came along.
It's a fresh and a very much needed change from the silly better-forgotten so-called comedies that Bollywood has overloaded the audience with.'Yeh Saali Zindagi' is a thrill to watch.
The writing is terrific and it produces some memorably hilarious dialogues.Sudhir Mishra grabs the viewer's attention from the very beginning with an opening sequence where we see a bleeding and disoriented and delirious Irfan Khan being comforted by the ravishingly hot Chitrangda Singh.The execution is first rate.
Arunoday Singh, Sushant Singh, Yashpal Sharma, Aditi Rao Hydari, Saurabh Shukla and especially Prashant Narayanan provide excellent support.The only little flaw are the kiss/love scenes of Kuldeep and Shanti.
They do look more passionate than the usual love scenes in Bollywood films but they lacked spontaneity and felt choreographed.Ticklish and wickedly energetic, 'Yeh Saali Zindagi' is refreshing entertainment.
By calling itself 'Yeh Saali Zindagi', the film projects itself as a new age bollywood flick with an attitude.
One is about Arun (Irfan Khan) an accounting whiz who is hopelessly in love with a Priti (Chitrangada Singh) who sings in hotels for a livelihood.
On the other hand, there is Kuldeep (Arunoday Singh) who seeks domestic bliss from wife Shati (Aditi Rao Hydari) but can't part ways with a well paying life of crime.Things get complicated when a jailed former henchman of the Minister arranges a kidnap that goes wrong.
Contrived as its characters and twists may seem, you give up trying to make sense of it and enjoy the flow.Despite it having a good amount of bloodshed, the film is not violent.
It is where directors like Sudhir Mishra make up for it by bringing in too many characters, especially quirky ones, forced twists and raw dialog.
Yeh Saali Zindagi is another one that tries to be all Hollywood in style and story.
Its not a family movie thats a clear fact but is it a good film?
Acting, Direction, Script, Dialogues, Music, there is not a single thing that is average in this movie.
Irfan Khan shines as always, that man is a powerhouse when it comes to acting and he proves himself again in this movie.
I laughed so hard when irfan khan tells him to leave India as soon as possible and saurab after disconnecting the call takes his stuff in a hurry, starts to walk away and then suddenly comes back, dial again and ask "saalay tu ne ye kia kiyun?" it was priceless.Arunoday Singh, Wow that man really impresses with his 100% natural performance, I never took notice of this guy in his previous film, But here he proves that he can act and is here to stay.
Great acting.Both the girls did their part good too, aditi rao had a smaller part but she looked and acted good.Overall this movie is a must watch.
FILM REVIEW: YEH SAALI ZINDAGI (2011)It is a refreshing, quirky, roller coaster ride, a hilarious take on life, loaded with crime, deceit and wry, black humor.
All Actors are perfectly cast but above all it is writer director Sudhir Mishra's film who is again in his best form..
Sorry to disappoint you folks , but actually the movie is not so romantic as I made it out to be ........But the Irfan-Chitrangada plot is the most important one in a movie having many sub-plots.............And a movie full of confusion......The hots are provided by newcomer Anita Rao , who kisses Arunodaya Singh with abandon , and looks so lovely , so delicate ......her skin seems so white , so soft .......a lot of people in the theater were wishing to be in Arunodaya's place !!Now enough of daydreaming , and back to reviewing.......The story unfolds in delhi and its environs, and director Sudhir Mishra does manage to get a grip on the confusion , while the movie goes on with generous dose of real-time uncensored abusing delhi-north Indian style , and doses of shooting and killing .........All the characters ( and believe me , there are too many ), and even the minor ruffians ,are introduced by their screen names coming on screen , giving the movie a whacky feel as it moves from delhi to georgia in the former soviet union to climaxing in mumbai ................where Irfan is still waiting for darling chits to say those words he's been waiting for all his life......verdict -- alls well that ends well ( amen to that ).
He has a meaty role and does a good job Aditi Rao Hyderi is awesome, she played a cameo in Delhi 6 before but again she is shown introduced, she does a good job, recently she was seen in ROCKSTAR Amongst rest Yashpal Sharma, Sushant Singh are admirable as usual, Prashant Narayanan does get a shorter role but he is superb as always as Chote.
A few days earlier:Being told by a gangster (Metha) who he had spent several months helping to make some pretty shady "business" deals succeed,that he was going back on his promise and not giving him a penny from any of the deals that they had made together.Arun decides that he needs to get the most attention possible over Metha's backstabbing.This leads Arun to hanging on a ledge,and almost accidentally killing himself!,until a group of friends arrive in the nick of time,and stop him from becoming a piece of road kill.Giving in to Arun's display of insanity,Metha sets up a meeting where he tells Arun again that he will not give him a single penny.With the meeting crumbling right before his eyes,Arun beings to think about the first ever time he had experienced "love at first sight",when he had seen a singer called Priti perform during a night on the town from long ago with Metha.Impressivly pulling back the meeting from breaking point and making it into a successful stalemate,Arun decides to celebrate his achievement by giving his lover-in waiting a call.Expecting to hear excitement over his surprise phone call,Arun is angered to discover that Priti seems to have become romantically involved with a man called Shyam Singhania (whose secretly seeing,(and is engaged) to a daughter of a powerful politician.)Deciding to pay a surprise visit,Arun heads for Shyam's house to show that he wont give up without a fight to win Priti's heart.Getting himself all prepared to open his car door,walk up and finally knock on Singhania's door.Arun,is stopped dead in his tracks,when a rag-tag group of gangsters, (who do not know of Priti's presence in the house) suddenly break into Shyam's house,to kidnap Singhania,and the politician's daughter in order to demand a potentially damaging ransom View on the film:From the opening credits that would make Saul Bass loudly applaud,co- writer/ (along with Manu Rishi Chadha and Swanand Kirkire) director Sudhir Mishra displays a stunning level of skill,which makes each of the (originally separate) plot lines ones that can be enjoyed separately,and also as a whole.Mishra cleverly interlocks the plot lines into a terrific Neo-Noir style Thriller,from the first scenes in the film featuring Arun (played by a brilliantly smart and sneaky Irrfan Khan) having a meeting with Metha, (the enjoyably moody Saurabh Shukla)the first thing which completely grabbed my attention was the writers fantastically gritty dialogue that mixes wonderfully sharp moments of swearing,with a grim Film Noir narration and a terrific group of "outlaw" gangsters.During my viewing of this excellent movie,I originally started to get a bit fearful that this (potentially) great film may be about to fall apart at any moment!,due to Mishra introducing each of the characters in an extremely fast pace that only allows a broad outline to be initially made.Impressivly,Mishra makes sure that the film's thread's never become too tangled,with the after effect of the kidnapping allowing the writers to show the full desperation and confusion that all of the characters are experiencing as a result of the kidnapping and hidden desires.Along with the terrific twisting & turning screenplay,Mishra's brilliant,creatively stylised directing, (with highlights being scenes such as the gangsters tense invasion of Shyam's house,and a weirdly funny "missed bullet".)helps to create an amazing setting for his wonderfully intense and disturbed characters..
Yeh "PULP" Zindagi When Sudhir Mishra goes Tarantino's way ---> The result : A twisty turvy haphazard love story crisscrossed by mafia along with lots of pun and lots of humor yielding Clip.
Yeh Saali Zindagi is a real Pulp movie, where there is a story inside the story and flashback inside flashback.
Sudhir Mishra was too good in penning them down and then turning the characters on the celluloid .
When I saw the posters of the movie on BEST buses I thought I knew that yeh saali zindagi was a stereotypically bollywood with no substance.
Couple of good reviews later I went to watch it.Yeh saali zindagi doesn't have much of an interesting story but the cast more than makes up for it.
Irfan Khan's constant commentary is fresh but the constant use of the phrase yeh saali zindagi gets a little irritating.
The harsh language may be an issue for some but it works with the plot.Arunoday makes his presence felt in spite of the fact that the movie is mostly about irfan khan.
The constant chemistry between his character kuldeep and aditi rao's shanti leads to one of the best kisses in Indian cinema (Emran Hashmi can now find a tutor in arunoday).Chitrangda Lights up the screen with every scene she is in.