A well-made flick . Review on Zinda

When Indian software entrepreneur, Balajit Roy (Dutt), is abducted and banged up in a grotty Bangkok cell with nothing but fried dumplings to eat for more than a decade, it's understandable that he should be peed off and ready for revenge when unexpectedly released. With its twisting and turning plot, it's hard to talk about Zinda without spoiling the delirious sense of disorientation that awaits first time viewers. Embarking on his quest to discover the man responsible for his imprisonment, Sanju teams up with cab Lara - and unravels a conspiracy that brings him eyeball to eyeball with the mocking cruelty of fate which eventually leads him to The Scholar (John Abraham).

First the positives,

The early scene in cells are very well executed and it is these chilling moments that are the mainstay of this enterprise. Director Gupta has treated these sequences with utmost care and the result is an edge-of-the-seat thriller which keeps you hooked to the goings-on till the last frame.There are several sequences which remain etched in your memory even after the show has ended, notable among them being:

• John confronting Sanju for auction and the fight that follows,

  
  




• John entering the hotel in the middle of the night and wrecking havoc

  
  




• The climax of the film, the fight to finish.

  
  

However, it has its share of weaknesses too:

• One, the characterisation of John seems half-baked. His leading a dual life seems far-fetched.

  
  




• Two, the film tends to drag slightly towards the middle of the second half [portions in the school]. Trimming them is essential.

  
  




• Three, the film lacks a hit musical score to compliment the tense moments.

  
  

Director Sanjay Gupta surprises you with his command over the script and techinique. He has handled the complex of scenes with sensitivity. As a writer, he has not given too many lines to John, but worked hard on his look and expressions.

The film scores in the technical department. Cinematography is brilliant. The background score is outstanding. In fact, the score plays a major role in elevating every sequence of the film. Action is first-rate. Dialogues are well worded.

John breathes fire in a role that fits him like a glove. He looks dashing and performs his scenes with maturity.Sanju's performance can be best described in one word – excellent.

Lara manages to hold on despite two powerful performers. Celina looks very glamorous and acts ably.

On the whole, Zinda is a well-made flick which is a must see!