Story : Arun (Irrfan Khan) and Kuldeep (Arunoday Singh), two gangsters commit the biggest blunder. They get their love life entangled with their criminal misdemeanours. End result? A guns and roses story where everybody gets enmeshed in a dangerous web of fraud, treachery and kidnapping. Can anybody break the vicious circle?
Movie Review : Sudhir Mishra ain't no stranger to gangster rap. He has already proved his prowess at tackling Bollywood's favourite theme in an earlier cult thriller, Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin, where love exploded against the violent backdrop of the Mumbai underworld. This time, emotions go ballistic in the seamy alleys and shady suburbs of Delhi's underbelly. And yes, the backdrop simply takes your breath away. Mishra's canvas -- and cinematographer (Sachin Kumar Krishnan) -- captures the Capital and it's alluring adjuncts with love and caress, creating stunning visuals of a city that's tranquil in turmoil.
But the picturesque visuals are just one part of the story. More important is the story itself. Mishra's script not only keeps you entertained with its umpteen twists and turns, it also pays due respect to the intelligence of the viewer. Like Kaminey, Yeh Saali Zindagi too expects the viewer to shake off his lethargy, catch the stray dialogue, understand the intonations and figure out the nuances of a screenplay that doesn't believe in spilling all the beans, all at once. The crime thriller unfolds as a narration by lead player, Irrfan Khan, a gangster who works for shady Saurabh Shukla but loses his heart to crooner, Chitrangda. It's a one-sided, totally irrational love affair that not only creates a storm in his ordered life but catapults him towards doom. Equally messed up and running on a parallel track is henchman Arunoday Singh's life, which oscillates between passionate encounters with harried wife, Aditi Rao Hyadri and double-edged dealings with two gangster brothers, Yashpal Sharma and Prashant Narayanan. Add to this a corrupt cop, Sushant Singh, and you have an entire circus of crooks trying to hoodwink each other for the final picking.
It does sound a bit confusing but if you're alert and attentive, you're going to love this merry-go-round. Specially since the ensemble cast breathes fire and passion in their performances. If Irrfan Khan leads the pack with his individual charisma, then Arunoday Singh isn't a step behind with his maverick charms. Both Chitrangda and Aditi too are mercurial with their moves, while Saurabh Shukla's archetypal Delhi-fixer act is fun to watch. Of course, it's hard to ignore another important facet of the film: the music. Swanand Kirkire's lyrics and Nishat Khan's music is not only a constant refrain, it adds leverage too.
Dark, devious and different, Yeh Saali Zindagi is brain-and-brawn drama. Wish the Censor hadn't beeped so much.
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