As one of only a handful of female writer/directors in Bollywood, Tanuja Chandra has always gone against the grain to make thought provoking movies with strong female protagonists. With Zindaggi Rocks she once again presents a poignant tale about a successful young singer (Sushmita Sen) whose world is rocked when tragedy strikes the two men in her life - her son and her lover. While full of good intentions and absorbing performances, it's the patchy screenplay that ultimately lets down this dark account of unconditional love and sacrifice.

When the introverted Dr Suraj (Shiney Ahuja) treats charismatic pop singer Kria (Sen) for a minor injury, the pair hit it off immediately despite obvious differences in personality. But after a few wild dates it soon becomes apparent that serious family problems lurk beneath both their cheery appearances. And it doesn't take much time or effort for anyone to guess that Kria's adopted son, Dhruv (Julian), is gravely ill. Suraj is the only person who can save him, but at a sinister cost.

"CHANDRA'S SCREENPLAY IS AT FAULT"

Emotional blackmail and family sacrifice play a strong role in Zindaggi Rocks, and while the special bond between mother and son and the two lovers is handled maturely, it's the constant distraction of Kria's madcap family that spoils the building momentum. Chandra's screenplay is at fault here, not her execution. Surplus attention paid to secondary characters such as Kria's mad aunt and dotty secretary delay the film from reaching its heart-wrenching climax. It's mainly thanks to Ahuja's moving portrayal as a man pulled between his duty to his profession and his love, and Sen's turn as a mother willing to go to extreme lengths to save her child that anyone will hang around for the end.