View source for Zinda (film)

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{{Infobox film
| name           = Zinda
| image          = Zindamovieposter.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Sanjay Gupta (director)|Sanjay Gupta]]
| based_on       = '' [[Oldboy (2003 film)|Oldboy]]''<ref>{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Food-to-lingo-India-goes-on-a-K-trip/articleshow/55641575.cms | title=Food to lingo, India goes on a K-trip | newspaper=The Times of India | date=27 November 2016 | access-date=30 November 2016 | archive-date=20 August 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820103423/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Food-to-lingo-India-goes-on-a-K-trip/articleshow/55641575.cms | url-status=live }}</ref>
| producer       = Sanjay Gupta
| screenplay     = Sanjay Gupta<br>Suresh Nair
| starring       = {{ubl|[[Sanjay Dutt]]|[[John Abraham (actor)|John Abraham]]|[[Lara Dutta]]|[[Celina Jaitly]]}}
| music          = {{ubl|'''Songs:'''|[[Vishal–Shekhar]]|[[Nikhil Chinapa]]|Dj Nawed|Kinky Ronald|[[Strings (band)|Strings]]|'''Background Score:'''|[[Sanjoy Chowdhury]]|}}
| cinematography = Sanjay F. Gupta
| editing        = Bunty Nagi
| released       = {{Film date|2006|1|13|df=y}}
| country        = India
| language       = Hindi
| runtime        = 116 minutes<ref name=BBFC>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/zinda-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zntqxodg|title=Zinda|website=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|access-date=27 May 2023|archive-date=27 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527075902/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/zinda-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zntqxodg|url-status=live}}</ref>
| story          = [[Park Chan-wook]] (original screenplay)
| gross          = 
}}
'''''Zinda''''' (English: ''Alive'') is a 2006 Indian [[Hindi]]-language [[action film]] written and directed by [[Sanjay Gupta (director)|Sanjay Gupta]], who co-wrote the film with Suresh Nair.<ref name=BBFC/><ref>{{Citation|title=Zinda (2006)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zinda|language=en|access-date=2021-07-17|archive-date=17 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717113558/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zinda|url-status=live}}</ref> It stars [[Sanjay Dutt]], [[John Abraham]], [[Lara Dutta]] and [[Celina Jaitly]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Zinda (2006)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zinda|language=en|access-date=2021-07-17|archive-date=17 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717113558/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zinda|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Vishal–Shekhar]] composed the film's thematic music, while the background score was composed by [[Sanjoy Chowdhury]]. Dutt suggested the script to Gupta post the release of their previous film ''[[Musafir (2004 film)|Musafir]]'', following which the film went into production.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/gupta-dutts-dosti-is-zinda/|title=Gupta & Dutt's dosti is 'Zinda'|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=19 April 2005|access-date=19 April 2005|archive-date=13 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613185943/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/gupta-dutts-dosti-is-zinda/|url-status=live}}</ref> Set in [[Thailand]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jan/08slid5.htm|title=Thai beauty beckons Bollywood|website=[[Rediff.com]]|access-date=27 May 2023|archive-date=27 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527150705/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jan/08slid5.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> the plot centers on Balajeet "Bala" Roy, who gets kidnapped and held hostage in a cell. After getting released without any explanation, Bala sets out to find his captor and the reason behind his captivity.

''Zinda'' was released on 13 January 2006, and has been identified as an unauthorized adaptation of the South Korean film ''[[Oldboy (2003 film)|Oldboy]]'', which itself is an official adaptation of the Japanese [[manga]] [[Old Boy (manga)|of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web |title=6 Korean Movies That Were Terribly Remade By Bollywood |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/opinion/bollywood-korean-movies-6-films-terrible-remakes-hindi-movies-radhe-the-outlaws-bharat-zinda-jazbaa-oldboy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712162939/https://www.filmcompanion.in/opinion/bollywood-korean-movies-6-films-terrible-remakes-hindi-movies-radhe-the-outlaws-bharat-zinda-jazbaa-oldboy |archive-date=12 July 2024 |access-date=25 April 2023 |website=Film Companion|date=25 April 2023 }}</ref><ref name=zvso>{{cite web |url=http://voices.yahoo.com/vengeance-dish-best-served-korean-oldboy-vs-zinda-7975406.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209202942/http://voices.yahoo.com/vengeance-dish-best-served-korean-oldboy-vs-zinda-7975406.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 February 2013 |title=Vengeance is a Dish Best Served Korean: 'Oldboy' vs. 'Zinda' }}</ref><ref>Dudrah, Rajinder and Desai, Jigna. 2008.  ''The Bollywood Reader: The Essential Bollywood''.  Oxford University Press.  pp. 6.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Food-to-lingo-India-goes-on-a-K-trip/articleshow/55641575.cms|title=Food to lingo, India goes on a K-trip - Times of India|website=[[The Times of India]]|date=27 November 2016|access-date=30 November 2016|archive-date=20 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820103423/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Food-to-lingo-India-goes-on-a-K-trip/articleshow/55641575.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> Show East, the producers of ''Oldboy'', who had already sold the [[Oldboy (2013 film)|remake]] rights to [[DreamWorks Pictures|DreamWorks]] in 2004 had initially expressed legal concerns, but no legal action was taken as the studio had shut down.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-06-26/spielberg-still-has-old-boy-plans-despite-korean-suit |title=Spielberg Still Has Oldboy Plans Despite Korean Suit |date=10 August 2023 |access-date=20 April 2020 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108120008/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-06-26/spielberg-still-has-old-boy-plans-despite-korean-suit |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117929484/|title=Zinda Review|date=6 February 2006|access-date=20 April 2020|archive-date=27 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627021057/https://variety.com/2006/film/reviews/zinda-1200518750/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="starnews">{{cite web|url=http://star.mt.co.kr/view/star_view.php?type=1&gisano=2005111612490944162|script-title=ko:표절의혹 '올드보이', 제작사 법적대응 고려|trans-title=Plagiarism Doubts, 'OldBoy' Production Company Considers Legal Confrontation|publisher=[[STAR News]]|date=16 November 2005|language=ko|access-date=26 August 2009}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The film was a [[box-office bomb|box-office flop]], grossing  {{INR|17.6}} crore worldwide against a budget of {{INR|13}} crore.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=379|title=Zinda - Movie|website=[[Box Office India]]|access-date=27 May 2023|archive-date=27 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527155417/https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=379|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Plot==
Software engineer Balajeet "Bala" Roy, is happily married to Nisha Roy, with whom he is going to have a baby. But before Nisha let Bala know about her pregnancy, he is captured by unseen assailants and imprisoned in a cell, After one year, Bala finds out that she was brutally murdered. Bala is kept in total isolation for 14 years without knowing who imprisoned him and why. While in captivity, he practices martial arts which he learns after watching it on the television, with the intention of using it against the people who captured him. He is finally released, again without explanation, and sets out for revenge.

He befriends a [[Bangkok]] taxi driver named Jenny, who helps him track his kidnappers. Bala tracks down the restaurant that served him food during his entire captivity and follows a delivery moped to his captors. Bala discovers that he was held in a private prison where people can pay to have others incarcerated. Bala tortures the owner Wong Foo for answers by plucking out his teeth with a [[claw hammer]]; he then finds out he was imprisoned for "talking too much", and fights his way out of the building. Bala is injured during the fight, but a mysterious hooded man saves him and takes him to a taxi. The hooded man turns out to be Rohit Chopra. Soon Wong Foo kidnaps Jenny and tortures her. He threatens to remove Bala's teeth with his own claw hammer but is interrupted by Rohit. Bala takes refuge with Jenny, and they have sex. Bala is informed that his daughter is alive. Bala's friend Joy is killed, and Bala learns that his kidnapper is none other than Rohit.

Rohit reveals his reason for kidnapping Bala. They went to high school together, where Bala had lusted after Rohit's elder sister Reema. After Reema rejected him, Bala spreads a false rumour that she was a whore. She became the laughing stock of their school and committed suicide by setting herself on fire. Rohit blamed Bala for her death and engineered his imprisonment as revenge. Rohit tells Bala that he killed Nisha, and sent his daughter, who is now 14, to a brothel. Bala beats Rohit up and knocks him off of a balcony, but grabs his hand and pleads with him to tell him where his daughter is. Defiantly, Rohit lets go of Bala's hand and falls to his death. Bala then kills Rohit's goons and Wong Foo. In the end, Bala learns that his daughter is safe; and Rohit had lied to him about selling her to a brothel to torment him. He finds her sitting on a riverbank, and goes to meet her. He happily lives with his daughter.

==Cast==
* [[Sanjay Dutt]] as Balajeet "Bala" Roy
* [[John Abraham]] as Rohit Chopra
* [[Celina Jaitly]] as Nisha Roy
* [[Mahesh Manjrekar]] as Joy Fernandes
* [[Lara Dutta]] as Jenny Singh
* [[Rajendranath Zutshi]] as Woo Fong (as Raj Zutshi)
* Alisha Baig as Reema Chopra

==Reception==

===Critical reception===
The film received mixed reviews from critics, although [[John Abraham (actor)|John Abraham]] and [[Sanjay Dutt]] were singled out for praise.

Bollywood Mantra praised the film saying, "''Zinda'' is a film that appears to be the darkest movie ever by Sanjay Gupta. A hard-hitting flick shot in Bangkok, it tells you a story never told before on the Indian screen. And to make Sanjay Gupta's imagination come alive, who else but Sanjay Dutt is roped in to play the lead role. One of the most challenging roles ever by the deadly Dutt, it is sure to haunt you long after the screening is over".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bollywoodmantra.com/movie-review/zinda/ |title=Zinda Movie Review &#124; |publisher=Bollywoodmantra.com |access-date=6 February 2012 |archive-date=27 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127193846/http://www.bollywoodmantra.com/movie-review/zinda/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Narbir Gosal of PlanetBollywood.com gave the film a rating of 7.5/10, praising the performances by [[Sanjay Dutt]] and [[John Abraham (actor)|John Abraham]], while criticising the fact that much of the dialogue and story was copied from ''[[Oldboy (2003 film)|Oldboy]]''.

Futuremovies.com gave the film 6/10 and said, "Technically and style-wise ''Zinda'' is flawless", and praised Dutt's performance, saying "it is probably the pinnacle of his career".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.futuremovies.co.uk/review.asp?ID=468 |title=Zinda Film Review (Movie) Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham, Lara Dutta, Celina Jaitly, Mahesh Manjrekar |date=13 January 2006 |publisher=Futuremovies.co.uk |access-date=6 February 2012 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190033/http://www.futuremovies.co.uk/review.asp?ID=468 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Subhash K Jha gave it 2.5/5 and stated that "the film belongs to Sanjay Dutt.... If the adventure-action genre in Hindi cinema needed a wake-up call, this is it".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/zinda-review-bollywood-14119849.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326023426/http://www.sify.com/movies/zinda-review-bollywood-14119849.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 March 2014 |title=Zinda : Movie Review |publisher=Rediff movies |access-date=6 February 2012}}</ref>

Nikhil Kumar of Apunkachoice.com gave the film 0.5/5 stars, saying "Sanjay Gupta's movie ''Zinda'' works primarily because of its gripping, although unoriginal, story and a noteworthy acting performance by its frontman Sanjay Dutt".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apunkachoice.com/titles/zin/zinda/mid_640/reviews-editor/ |title=Zinda Movie Review – English Movie |publisher=Apunkachoice.com |access-date=6 February 2012 |archive-date=12 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121212053207/http://www.apunkachoice.com/titles/zin/zinda/mid_640/reviews-editor |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Awards ==

; [[52nd Filmfare Awards]]<nowiki>:</nowiki>

'''Nomination'''

* [[Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role|Best Villain]] – [[John Abraham]]

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name       = Zinda
| type       = Soundtrack Album
| artist     = [[Vishal–Shekhar]]
| cover      = 
| alt        = 
| released   = 9 December 2005
| recorded   = 
| venue      = 
| studio     = 
| genre      = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length     = 
| label      = [[T-Series (company)|T-Series]]
| producer   = 
| prev_title = 
| prev_year  = 
| next_title = 
| next_year  = 
}}
The songs were composed by duo [[Vishal–Shekhar]] and released by [[T-Series (company)|T-Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ww.smashits.com/zinda/songs-5565.html |title=Zinda songs - Zinda Hindi Movie Original Soundtrack - Hindi Songs, Soundtracks, Music, Lyrics, Videos and Trailers - Zinda album |access-date=7 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306211149/http://ww.smashits.com/zinda/songs-5565.html |archive-date=6 March 2012 }}</ref>
* "Ye Hai Meri Kahani" – [[Strings (band)|Strings]], [[Shehzad Roy]] and [[Atif Aslam]]
* "Zinda Hoon Main" – [[Shibani Kashyap]]
* "Har Saans" – [[Krishna Beura]] & [[Abrar-ul-Haq]]
* "Kya Main Zinda Hoon" – Shibani Kashyap
* "Maula" – [[Vinod Rathod]] and [[Zoheb Hassan]]
* "Zinda Hoon Main Y" – [[Shibani Kashyap]]
* "Chal Rahi Hai Saanse" – [[Kailash Kher]] and [[Jawad Ahmad]]
* "Har Saans (Black Mamba Mix)" – Krishna Beura
* "Ye Hai Meri Kahani (K Rap Mix)" — [[Strings (band)|Strings]] & [[Jamie xx]]
* "Kabhi Muskura ke" - [[Sanjay Dutt]]

==Similarities with ''Oldboy''==
At a November 2005 press conference, representatives of Show East, the production company that released ''[[Oldboy (2003 film)|Oldboy]]'', expressed concern ''Zinda'' was similar to their film, and said they were investigating the similarities.  They noted that at the time, they did not have the final version of ''Zinda'' available to compare ''Oldboy'' with. They stated that if they found there was "strong similarity between the two [films]", they would be contacting their lawyers."<ref name="starnews"/>

''[[The Hindu]]'' reviewer [[Sudhish Kamath]] and Planet Bollywood reviewer Narbir Gosal both note in their reviews of ''Zinda'' that they found the two films to be very similar in terms of plot, as well as in the depiction of specific scenes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2006/01/20/stories/2006012002530300.htm |title=Copycat filmmaker lacks creativity |first=Sudhish |last=Kamath |date=20 January 2006 |access-date=26 August 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India }}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://planetbollywood.com/Film/Zinda/ |first=Narbir |last=Gosal |title=Film Review – Zindu |work=Planet Bollywood, INDOlink |access-date=26 August 2009 |archive-date=20 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090720063904/http://planetbollywood.com/Film/Zinda/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z0Kd_CjImo  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/5Z0Kd_CjImo |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title= Video showing similarity between the two films |website=[[YouTube]] |date=29 December 2009 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
''[[Rediff.com]]'' reviewer Raja Sen wrote an open letter to Gupta, declaring he would not watch the film due to the plagiarism, and further revealed Gupta plagiarized the whole film in spite of categorically telling him he had lifted one scene from ''Oldboy'' and claiming the rest was original.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/20raja.htm|title=Why I won't watch Zinda|website=[[Rediff.com]]|access-date=20 January 2006|archive-date=27 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627021154/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/20raja.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Another critic [[Rajeev Masand]] labeled it a "shameless rip-off" of ''Oldboy'' where Gupta "steals not only the plot and characters but entire sequences, and pretty much the whole treatment of the original film."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rajeevmasand.com/admin/uncategorized/friday-flicks-masands-verdict-6/|title=Friday flicks: Masand's verdict|website=[[Rajeev Masand]]|access-date=27 May 2023|archive-date=27 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527152346/http://rajeevmasand.com/admin/uncategorized/friday-flicks-masands-verdict-6/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[CNN-News18]]'' refused to term it a remake since no rights were officially purchased, and went on to criticize its performances, storytelling and the blue tint. The website pointed out that while the film could be notable to the Indian audience for its experimental storyline around that time, this has not been the case over the years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/reel-retake-why-hollywoods-oldboy-isnt-as-impactful-as-the-korean-original-4140608.html|title=Reel Retake: Why Hollywood's Oldboy Isn't as Impactful as the Korean Original|website=[[CNN-News18]]|date=30 August 2021|access-date=30 August 2021|archive-date=30 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830082612/http://www.news18.com/news/movies/reel-retake-why-hollywoods-oldboy-isnt-as-impactful-as-the-korean-original-4140608.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Gupta continued to deny any of this when questioned during an interview.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/calcutta-times/why-blame-oldboy/articleshow/1937284.cms|title=Why blame Oldboy?|website=[[Times of India]]|date=22 April 2007|access-date=22 April 2007|archive-date=21 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921153050/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/calcutta-times/why-blame-oldboy/articleshow/1937284.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> He later claimed it was not entirely inspired by ''Oldboy'', and mentioned how the latter was also inspired by ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (2002 film)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/zinda-was-exhausting-sanjay-gupta/story-8Xk1xgvbI8Ye4LdS1YEoRJ.html|title=Zinda was exhausting: Sanjay Gupta|website=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=11 January 2006|access-date=11 January 2006|archive-date=6 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106131702/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/zinda-was-exhausting-sanjay-gupta/story-8Xk1xgvbI8Ye4LdS1YEoRJ.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0488906|Zinda}}

{{Old Boy}}
{{Sanjay Gupta}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zinda (Film)}}
[[Category:Old Boy]]
[[Category:2000s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:2000s mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:2006 films]]
[[Category:Indian neo-noir films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Vishal–Shekhar]]
[[Category:Films scored by Strings (band)]]
[[Category:Indian films about revenge]]
[[Category:Films about suicide]]
[[Category:Indian nonlinear narrative films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Thailand]]
[[Category:Live-action films based on manga]]
[[Category:Indian mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian action thriller films]]
[[Category:Films about kidnapping in India]]
[[Category:Indian remakes of South Korean films]]
[[Category:Films involved in plagiarism controversies]]
[[Category:Films directed by Sanjay Gupta]]
[[Category:2006 action thriller films]]
[[Category:Unofficial film adaptations]]
[[Category:Films about child sexual abuse]]
[[Category:Films about murder]]
[[Category:Films about rape]]
[[Category:Indian psychological thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian crime thriller films]]
[[Category:Films about torture]]
[[Category:Films set in Bangkok]]
[[Category:Films shot in Bangkok]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Chinese people]]
[[Category:Indian intellectual property law]]
[[Category:2006 controversies]]
[[Category:Films based on adaptations]]
[[Category:Films set in Thailand]]