[BypeVupyide]

Story:



Based on a true story written by Bengali writer Sujit Sen, Staying Alive revolves around two heart patients struggling to live in ICCU. Aditya Roy (Ananth Mahadevan), a journalist by profession, has encountered the fear of death twice before, courtesy two heart attacks; Shaukat Ali (Saurabh Shukla), a hard-core gangster, is a naïve one on this front. While, their respective wives Sheren Ali (Navani Parihar) along with her son Altaf (Chandan Sanyal) and Mrs. Roy (Sunita) are praying for the duo's life, they in the middle of their recovery, are sharing some interesting conversations which alter their lives forever.

Story Treatment:



Though Staying Alive conveys a message, it isn’t preachy in its approach. A message of living life to the fullest in the right way is dealt with much ease. With the correct doze of sarcasm, along with sorrowful moments SA is a delightful watch. There is a flipside too, the film looks monotonous at times, which makes the screenplay a bit stretched.



Star Cast:

Ananth Narayan Mahadevan has always garnered laurels for his acting-prowess and he will continue to do so with Staying Alive. He has sunken his teeth inside the character, which shows up in his performance. Saurabh Shukla dominates courtesy, the lively character he plays plus his power-packed act. He induces some hilarious moments in the film which help providing relief in the otherwise dragged screenplay. Navani Parihar and Sunita impress with their flawless performances. Chandan Roy Sanyal is here to stay, which can be gauged from his act where he switches lanes from an aggressive proud son to a helpless one.

Direction:

Kudos to Ananth Mahadevan (who has a string of flops in his kitty) for still attempting such a sensitive subject and this time round with conviction. The most striking part of his direction is the fact- he knows his subject inside out. Watch out for the scene where Shaukat discovers that Aditya's almost dead, in the middle of a hilarious conversation and how the two actors react to it. But, again, overtly lengthy screenplay takes away the charm at times.



Music/ Cinematography/ Dialogues/Editing:

Background score along with poem narration by Ananth is breathtaking. Cinematography is strictly okay with stereotypical shots which refuse to ring a bell. But, dialogues surely do as they are the lifeline of the film. Editing like the screenplay looks monotonous at many places with no innovative measures.

3 Ups and 3 Downs:

Intriguing narration, impactful dialogues, brilliant performances and soothing music are the strong points. Screenplay, editing and cinematography spoil the mood of the film.

If you have an appetite for a meaningful film, Staying Alive is a must watch. Also, in the dearth of good movies around, Staying Ali can be given a shot.