An unusual love story which unfolds into a thriller. The film Yeh Saali Zindagi is a sharp take on how far a man can to for the woman he loves, and how he feels when hat woman is in love with someone else. This man can go to any extent, do anything for the love of his life, only to discover later on that she is longing for the other man. Yeh Saali Zindagi movie review…
Sudhir Mishra is one of those new age talented film-makers who has come up with realistic films like Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin and Hazaron Khwaishen Aisee which are unlike the usual bollywood type flicks. This one is a romantic thriller based on love, betrayal and crime.
Yeh Saali Zindagi begins with a bloody-action sequence with thrills and excitement, moving in a brisk pace with twists and turns in the tale coming in rapid succession that is covers some minor hiccups in the story.
The story is about Arun (Irrfan Khan) who has to get Priti out of trouble. Priti (Chitrangda Singh) is the woman he loves, yet he discovers that to win her, he first has to save Shyam, the man Priti loves. Shyam (Vipul Gupta) is to get married to Madhvi Singh who plays the daughter of a powerful Minister.
Kuldeep (Arunoday Singh) is a young gangster, just out of prison, and time is running out for him, since his wife (Shanti) Aditi Rao Hydari wants him to be in a decent profession else she would walk out on him for life. Kuldeep for a moment, even doubts whether his wife Shanti is in love with another man.
That apart, Kuldeep doesn’t find any respectable work and has no other option, but to take up the crooked job of kidnapping Shyam, who is a prospective son-in-law of a minister. Kuldeep has decided that this would be his final criminal assignment of his life, and after this, he would leave the country with his wife and son.
Shyam is on a date with his girlfriend Priti when Kuldeep lands up to kidnap them. Kulteep mistakes Priti for the minister’s daughter, and thinks he has landed with a double jackpot. Shyam dreams of a hefty amount to be demanded as a ransom for releasing the couple.
Things then go haywire, as the Ministers daughters’ engagement with Shyam is called off. Now, the minister and his daughter do not care whether Shyam is in danger or there is a danger to his life.
Priti is caught in a mess and calls Arun to come and save her life. Arun has to risk everything, and this could even mean putting his own life in danger for …whom? The woman he loves, but he is not sure whether she is in love with him.
Here on, it’s a roller-coaster ride towards an interesting climax where each one fends for his life and risking it for their loved ones.
For a moment, Yeh Saali Zindagi may appear to be a confusing story as it is an off-beat, fast paced crime drama depicting blood and abuses with betrayal and a double cross. Cinematographer Sachin Kumar Krishnan has brilliantly captured the streets and bylanes of the capital city of India. He has imaginatively showcased the fascinating locales of Old Delhi. This is complimented with sharp editing.
There are great performances in the film from Irfan Khan as the lonely lover who knows that he is in love with a two timing elegant lady, Chitrangda Singh. Arunoday Singh is great in his role of Kuldeep, while Aditi Rao Hydari who plays his wife, is quite bold in her intimate scenes with him.
Saurabh Shukla as the ruthless boss plays the usual part he has played often in other flicks, Sushant Singh is impressive as the cop, while the talented Yashpal Sharma and Prashant Narayanan appear only in small parts in the story.
A powerful, bold film devoid of any usual naach-gaana sequences, and that’s why it impresses..
CAST of Yeh Saali Zindagi:
Irrfan Khan as Arun
Chitrangda Singh as Priti
Arunoday Singh as Kuldeep
Aditi Rao Hydari as Shanti
Saurabh Shukla as Mehta
Sushant Singh as Satbeer
Vipin Sharma as Tony
Yashpal Sharma as Bade
Prashant Narayanan as Chote
Vipul Gupta as Shyam
Tarun Shukla as Guddu
Madhvi Singh as minister’s daughter
Credits & Crew of Yeh Saali Zindagi:
Produced by Sumit Pandey
Directed by Sudhir Mishra
Story, Screenplay – Sudhir Mishra
Dialogues – Sudhir Mishra, Manu Rishi
Original Music – Nishat Khan
Cinematography – Sachin K. Krishn
Film Editing – Archit D Rastogi
Assistant Directors – Binitesh Baruri, Geetika Lohani
Yeh Saali Zindagi, movie review