Aamir endorsed Pepsi first and then Coke, one of the rare feet any actor has ever achieved across the globe. But Ghajini deserves a Thumbs Up. Pradon the bad pun but only Aamir can pull it off. Like after Taare Zameen Pe, he does a commercial masala film like Ghajini. He gives me the same feeling through out the movie which I had for Surya while watching the Tamil original (did I say original).
Ghajini definitely bears resemblance to Christopher Nolan's Memento. 15 minute memory of the protagonist, his using tattoos and polaroid shots with description. But what the critics forget is that even Memento doesn't reflect the fact that this anteretrogade Amnesia patient always remembers to tattoo n click polariod shots and is able to connect them to his revenge plan especially when he can not form a new memory. No explanation offered, none taken. So why target Ghajini?
While Memento is non-linear and dollies between the flashback and inter cuts to present and yet leaving the viewer confused about the lead guy killing more than one people and being a puppet in a lady's hand for a drug deal, Ghajini is linear and like any other Hindi film is a classic tale of revenge. Makes it easier or we are used to Films for Dummies, eh?
Performance wise Asin takes the cake. Gorgeous and effortless, against Aamir she stood as tall or better as she was against Surya. Long way to go is our prediction. Vidya Balan should take a cue and keep her weight in control.
Jiah exceeds the expectations we have from this otherwise nubile nymphet. Small yet significant role and she does pass off as a psychology student unlike her overage counterpart (whatever her name was) in the Tamil version. She is subdued and has no trace of being the young seductress and in the little role that she had, she did justice to that barring the accent that she has.
Pradeep Rawat, the villain is an old hand and a close friend of Aamir. Remember the Sikh pace bowler in Lagaan who bowls with breakneck speed to clean all 3 stumps of Aamir while they are still forming the team. He has done the job fairly well.
AR Rahman is not in his elements it seems. Guzarish takes the cake but Beheka has no repeat value even with half a dozen funky hairstyles that Aamir sports. The best song of the film is Kaise mujhe but it is so deliberatly slow that story instead of moving with it goes slow matching the pace of the song. Never the less, a classic gem from ARR. Prasoon Joshi is a rare breed of poets in the world of lyricists. His poetry is put to good use and the lyrics are a class apart except for Aye Bachchu and another song picturised on Jiyah khan with incomprehensible lyrics which are so mediocre that it feels bad to waste even a few words on that.
Cinematogrpaher Ravi K Chandran plays with the tight close ups and lights so beautifully that you hate to take your eyes off the screen. Editor Anthony does a decent job and apparently rest of the job was done by Censor board.
The last few minutes of the film are different from the Tamil version. While the original had villain in double role (well, havent we seen it before) and Surya taking them on both in the college hostel and that fight sequence was really a treat. Surya's fixing his dislocated shoulder was a shot that is itched in my memory but Aamir is far more sensible here and opts for a reasonable and believable climax. In the final moments since his memory disk crashes again after 15 minutes. He belived the villain to be his friend and that sequence Aamir took the whole show. Encore for that.
Ghajini belongs to a few 'A's. Producer Allu Arvind, director AR Murugadoss, Asin, AR Rahman, editor Anthony and finally Aamir. So many A's already present in the film, who has the memory to rate any Aamir film B.
One more addition to the list of A's is the brilliant job of marketing done by Ashoo Naik. Right from the multiplex ushers with Ghajini haircut on the day of Rab Ne release...Aamir's hair cutting saloon, his statue in the multiplexes, sexy website (cutting edge, must watch). I dont think any other film was able to generate that kind of a buzz. Superb stuff Ashoo...and sorry that I didnt mention your name...though it is a brilliant example of film marketing...hope you will forgive...waiting for your next film now.
The producers kept the date, 25th December. Distributor Indian Films and their CEO Sandeep Bhargava must be relieved with the release coz they bought the rights for 90 crore. Looks like, they will recover it within 2 weeks.
Must watch. Those who have seen Memento or Tamil Ghajini, they should watch it for sure...I can spend 3 more hours for Ghajini.
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