Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi

"Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi" is a rollercoaster of a Bollywood film that depicts a day in the bustling and chaotic city of Mumbai in a light, yet impactful manner. The movie, released in 2012, features a stellar cast, including the incredible talents such as Kay Kay Menon, Ranvir Shorey and Pradhuman Singh. Moreover, the debut director Rakesh Mehta manages to skilfully weave together the stories of its four major characters, using the city of Mumbai as a vibrant and colourful backdrop.

The movie is centred around four main characters - Ajoy (Kay Kay Menon), who is a washed-up Bengali rock singer; Amol Ganguly (Ranvir Shorey), a righteous and God-fearing man that spent the better part of his life in Kolkata; Salman (Pradhuman Singh), a revenge-driven man who has come to Mumbai to hunt down the criminals that ruined his love life; and Hriday (Manu Rishi), a disgraced police officer on a mission to redeem himself. Through their respective journeys, the movie explores themes of lost love, duty, crime, redemption, and the maze of chaos and complexities that is Mumbai.

Kay Kay Menon, known for his spellbinding performances, doesn’t disappoint in this one either. He charms the audience with his portrayal of the protagonist Ajoy, a heartbroken and frustrated musician who is seen desperately trying to find his foothold in the ravages of the Mumbai music industry. The effortless yet raw acting by Menon paints a vivid picture of a failed artist struggling through life in a big city.

Ranvir Shorey as Amol Ganguly delivers a noteworthy performance. His portrayal of a man who leaves his home and the simplicity of Kolkata to settle property disputes in Mumbai warms hearts. His struggles with the fast-paced life and the cunning property dealers in Mumbai are depicted with a hint of humour and wit.

Pradhuman Singh as Salman, a man out for revenge against the Mumbai goons who ruined his love life, goes through an arc of transformation, both in terms of characterisation and narrative development. Out on his own in a city that never sleeps, Salman's journey is fuelled by determination and longing for justice, creating an emotionally intense narrative.

Having a corrupt cop Hriday, played by Manu Rishi in the narrative, adds another layer to the plot. His character, desperate to make his boss happy, is assigned with the task of making the city free of foreign nationals who indulge in illegal activities. Rishi pulls off an impressive performance as a cop running against time in his quest for redemption.

Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi is not a typical Bollywood production. It deviates from the inspired love stories and hero-centered plots to dive into the heart of Mumbai, uncovering the lives and struggles of its inhabitants. The movie takes the audience on a whirlwind ride through the busy and chaotic lanes of the city, in an attempt to portray how immense the potential is for things to go drastically wrong within a single day.

Rakesh Mehta's meticulous storytelling and clever mix of humour, drama and suspense, adds a certain degree of relatability to the movie. The cinematography, helmed by Rakesh Haridas, beautifully captures the essence of Mumbai, enhancing the overall appeal of the film.

The soundtrack of the movie is a blend of quirky and emotional tunes, composed by Vinay Jaiswal, which play a significant role in enhancing the essence of the characters and the situations they find themselves in.

In conclusion, "Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi" is a movie that attempts to tell a relatively raw and unfiltered story about life's unpredictability. The film, with an array of brilliant performances, picturesque shooting sites and poignant life lessons, does a beautiful job of painting a realistic picture of life in a bustling metropolitan city. By touching upon a mosaic of distinctive stories within its running time, this film presents a slice of life, reminding viewers of the whimsicalities of life, and how one's life can twist and turn in the blink of an eye, especially in a city like Mumbai.