Zinda explores unchartered territory. With an unusual script and a riveting screenplay, it could have been the first hit of 2006 and probably set a new trend. But something, somewhere goes wrong.
Zinda is the story of Sanjay Dutt ( Bala), who is a software engineer recently transferred to Bangkok. He is happily married to Celina Jaitley and has a good friend in Mahesh Manjrekar. Everything is hunky-dory until one fine day, he is locked up in a room by an unseen unknown enemy, apparently without any reason. After 14 yrs, he is set free, to find the answers to all the questions that have been tormenting him during his captivity. To do this, he has just 4 days. John Abraham plays Rohit, his nemesis.
Zinda is a very high risk proposition, clearly aimed at only a niche audience. Zinda begins promisingly, and the parts of the movie when Dutt is shown locked up are brilliantly shot. Also, the suspense keps building as to why is someone taking the trouble to keep him alive ... who is that someone...
But in the second half, as the mystery begins to unfold, something doesnt quite jell. The action sequences with Dutt beating the hell out of about 20 goons , the macabre close up of hands being cut , electric drills being run into the body and not to forget Raj Zutshis teeth being removed by a hammer seem TOO LOUD ! Yes, just as those two words did.
Violence can be either subtle or graphic, and there is no doubt left in your mind that the director has chosen the latter.
Lara Dutta has a taxi driver is a little hard to digest but just as the audience manages to do so, her sudden physical affection for Dutt (cliched) takes away the ruthlessness of Dutts charachter.
Zinda is extremely well shot, with brilliant use of special light effects. The editing is crisp. But the biggest snag is the script and the ending of the movie, as well as the justification of the entire plot.
Coming to the performances,
Sanjay Dutt: One of his best performances, he is present in almost every frame of the movie. His whole body language and dialogue delivery is superb.
John Abraham : Introduced only towards the end of the first half, he tries to look menacing enough but somehow when you hear him moving his shares around while playing with a laptop in the back seat of a limo... something doesnt click.
Lara Dutta : Has a safe role.. and does a decent job.
Mahesh Manjrekar: Sleep walks through his brief role.
Celina Jaitely: Another movie, same expressions. Ho -hum... zzzzzzzz
All in all, Zinda tries to be a breakthrough movie and suceeds to an extent. But.. but but.. after walking out of the theatre , you feel like the guy who in an interview realises that one of his shirt buttons are undone. He doesnt know which one, and its too late to do anything about it now.
Zinda might die a premature death at the box office.