Zinda

I can't believe they got the rights to crucify OLDBOY with this trash!!! I mean why bother... They have totally destroyed a cult movie of very high standard. The acting in this"effort" is shabby, the cinematography is amateur, the dialogue had me in stitches from start to finish. I found myself in tears of laughter at how bad this really was in every way possible.

I think the most tickling moment is when they tried to re enact the "hammer" fight scene with a hugely inflated Sanjay Dutt - it was like seeing a hippo on speed - the original was one of the most memorable fight scenes ever choreographed but this was like a terrible outtake.

I hope the actors and director of this nonsense look back at it and cringe with embarrassment because I certainly did.

Hollywood have their crack at Oldboy released some time this year, I hope and pray it's not as bad as Zinda - one thing this film is not is Zinda for sure - its DEAD from the opening scene !!!

I've read the user comments on this forum and found a blithe lack of concern in many of the posts for the fact that 'Zinda' is a total ripoff. Here are some telling examples, along with my own not-very-profound responses. I trust I need do no more than that to make my point:

"It is unfortunate that bollywood ripped off OLDBOY, but if that is the only way that the Indian audiences would get a glimpse of what the original was like, so be it" (Huh? Ever hear of buying the rights to do an official remake?)

"I am reading the reviews of OLD Boy too, which i have not seen. But I should say that it is a great experiment by Indian cinema" (Yeah, a repeat experiment -- like where somebody else first came up with the ideas and took the risks before you came along and decided to do the exact same thing)

"The legendary action-scene with the hammer looks as hard as it was in Korean version". (the Korean version? Almost makes it sound like 'Oldboy' ripped off 'Zinda')

"First things first , i haven't seen Old Boy so just cant judge Zinda by it's standard... He did full justice to the role of Balajeet Roy(on par with Choi Min-shik" (So you haven't seen 'Oldboy', but you HAVE seen Choi Min-Shik's performance in it? Do the police come to you for psychic impressions when they run out of clues?)

(And what does this mean): "There is no doubt that 'ZINDA' is a complete rip-off of Korean movie 'OLDBOY' but I must add that it is an excellent adaptation of 'OLDBOY'".

--And I won't spoil the pristine effect of these following remarks by adding my own commentaries:

"Hollywood is also planning a rip of this one, so what's the fuss all about"

"People tell me that this movie is inspired/copied or total remake of a Korean masterpiece "OldBoy"; but I don't mind it"

"Yes agreed that he copies other films scene by scene, but who doesn't? Why is he called a copycat, when i can add a long list of other copycats? Take Ek Ajnabee - which was an exact copy of Man On Fire, or Vivek Agnihotri for Chocolate - which was a ridiculous version of the classic 'The Usual Suspects'. At least Sanjay Gupta makes a good replica of a film"

"Copy of old boy backed up with Sanjay direction makes it truly a ride you will never forget".

"The story may be inspired from a Korean film, or so we are told, but is doesn't matter because no one's really seen it".

Many have said this before, but I'm afraid I have to repeat the opinion on the account that a surprising many have decided that Zinda is worth of anything more than 1 star in IMDb. Zinda is a unscrupulous photocopy of the masterpiece Oldboy, and should be avoided, if not boycotted.

Some will claim that Zinda is a 'tribute' or a 'remake' of the Oldboy. To them I ask one question: "What kind of filmmakers make remakes of a movie when the original came out two years ago and has been selling DVDs very well internationally?" It seems that this particular brand of Indian cinema has decided that it is quite content making money off of other people idea for free. And though it is impossible for the original filmmakers to sue the filmmakers of Zinda (on the account that Indian copyright laws does not allow for such suit), Zinda should be remembered as a true stain on the development of Indian Cinema.

Because it has photocopied a great movie, Zinda avoids being an absolute terror of a movie. However, this does not excuse Sanjay Gupta and the section of 'Bollywood' that has involved itself in Zinda's production. Because of the blatant plagiarism, and the Zinda's makers absolutely refusing to apologize and reimburse the original filmmakers, I must say Zinda deserves 1 star, if not 0.

Bollywood should NEVER try to be as ambitious to tackle films like Oldboy. Indian morality eventually gets in the way. Such attempts are cringeworthy. Do not bother watching Zinda unless you like talentless 'eye candy' type films. Watch the original instead. What is it with Bollywood anyway? They shamelessly copy from oriental cinema/Hollywood and try to pass it off as their own. You can't help but feel disappointed. It was a massacre of the cultish Oldboy. You have to have a strong stomach to stomach some of the things that happen in Oldboy. Its like Bollywood was sugar coating the themes in Oldboy and what do you end up with? A version which your granny can watch with you without feeling too offended. If that was the case then Zinda should never have been made. Well it shouldn't have!

The only reason this movie ended up with more as 1 star is because some hardcore nationalist bollywood lovers didn't write honest reviews. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against remakes nor bollywood, but this is just uninspired crap. I like any kind of movies. But movies ought to be made by people who enjoy making them, they should be skilled. Willing to put effort in making a good movie. This guy is allowed to make movies because he is from a rich influential family.

Sanjay Gupta must be one of the least talented directors these days. None of his work is original and all of his movies are cheap copies. this is the same, he saw a movie. Liked it, but just didn't understand it. it doesn't even come close to the original. Everything is just worse as the original oldboy. Camera work, story (that doesn't work out anymore) de fighting is lame, making it not offending for the Indian audience by cutting out the incest totally destroyed the story. The actor had to be a pretty face, too bad he didn't have acting skills with it. This untalented director shouldn't even be allowed to sell pop-corn in a cinema. Too bad mom and dad had money.

Its a direct insult to the real oldboy, and Sanjay didn't even pay for the rights to rip it. Please don't watch it, get oldboy instead. This one will only make you vomit