Ghajini, an almost frame-by-frame remake of the 2005 Tamil superhit Ghajini(except the climactic last 45 minutes), borrows its basic premise from the English movie **Memento**, and savors it up with necessary Bollywood ingredients - romance, comedy, action, and finally culminating into a revenge saga. The result is what I would call more of a “product” than a “film”. A product rich in production values and marketing, but devoid of any logic and full of too many loopholes.But, surprisingly, it still works with the audience(especially those who grow up on the staple diet of Bollywood masala), and packs a punch because of the unadulterated dose of entertainment it provides.
Ghajini’s plot is based on the oft-repeated revenge saga, done-to-death innumerable times in Bollywood. What makes it different are the slick production values, and a deft execution of the narrative(and, of course, a revenge seeker who can’t remember things for more than 15 minutes). It has its own share of flaws in the script but the movie is quite well-paced and doesn’t let you(or rather gives a chance to) think about them while you are watching it(unless, of course, if you are watching it to discover the flaws).
The story: Ghajini’s story is told mostly in flashbacks. Sanjay(**Aamir Khan**) is a patient suffering from anterograde amnesia(because of being hit by a metal rod on his head) and can’t remember things for more than a period of 15 minutes. Responsible for his situation is a local mafia Ghajini(**Pradeep Rawat**) who also brutally killed Sanjay’s love Kalpana(**Asin**) in front of his eyes. Sanjay is out to seek revenge and all he has for help is a Polaroid camera, hand-written instructions he regularly writes for himself, a graffiti of reminders on the wall, and a bunch of more details(such as phone numbers of Ghajini’s henchmen) tattooed all over his(ahem ahem 8-pack) body, which serve him as constant reminders of the act of vengeance he must accomplish.In addition, he also has a medical student friend Sunita(**Jiah Khan**) who helps him after once Ghajini removes all evidences Sanjay had to trace him.
Ghajini’s script is, of course, weak and there is little place for logic. Also, please don’t compare it with the English movie Memento since I think, with Ghajini, the film-maker’s objective was to create a mass-appealing and entertaining pot-boiler, rather than making the audience themselves grapple with a complex narrative(like Memento very well did). Memento, no doubt, was an intelligent film, plotwise. Ghajini doesn’t come even remotely close to that. And, I think., neither does it intend to, in the first place.
Like I said, at the core, this Ghajini is a much faithful remake of the 2005 Tamil superhit with the same name. The makers have tried to fix some of the flaws in the Tamil version but couldn’t fix them all(there were far too many!). For example, Sanjay is shown to be suffering from **anterograde amnesia** which means that the patient’s past memory remains intact, whereas after the point of trauma, he can’t remember things for a period of more than about 15 minutes.However, the movie depicts him as if he doesn’t remember his past either(e.g., his employees need to identify themselves to him every time they visit him). Also, the audience are never explained how Sanjay came to know about the contact details and photographs of Ghajini’s men, while not knowing anything about Ghajini himself except his name.The script is rife with many more such loopholes and absence of logic.But the movie still works if you are willing to suspend disbelief. In addition, there are certain endearing elements that make it an engaging watch.
For instance, the romantic episode between Sanjay and Kalpana has been beautifully developed, and it’s a treat to watch whenever they are together on screen. It’s also funny due to some(circumstantial) disguises - Kalpana pretending to be the girl-friend of Sanjay(the business-tycoon), and Sanjay pretending to be a struggling junior model(Sachin) to Kalpana(who herself is a small-time ad film model). The sequences that ensue afterwards are truly hilarious.
The movie also has an overdose of violence but you might find it justified given the innocence in the relationship Sanjay and Kalpana shared, and the brutal way and helpless circumstances in which Kalpana was killed in front of his eyes.
Coming to performances, I think the audience would enjoy watching **Aamir Khan** in an out-and-out commercial enterprise. With Ghajini, Aamir has proved that he can lift even an average storyline with a power-packed performance. He played both the parts - the suave business-tycoon, and the ruthless revenge seeker- with equal aplomb.Although his role has very few dialogs, he could convey the anger and despair within, effectively just through his eyes. **Asin**, in her first hindi movie is a revelation and is one of the high-points of the movie.She leaves an impact in both serious and comedy sequences and, more importantly, never gets overshadowed by Aamir. She looks charming and has an arresting screen-presence. Also, watch her especially in her scene with Aamir before the song **Kaise Mujhe Tum**, and her murder sequence where she conveys fear and helplessness effectively. **Jiah Khan**, as the medical student, didn’t have much to do(thankfully). **Pradeep Rawat** as Ghajini does just okay but his character looks more caricaturish than menacing, and it made me wonder if the movie could be named after the main villain. He does, however, succeed in evoking terror in Kalpana’s murder sequence.
Cinematography is excellent and the camera angles, especially during action scenes(many shot in narrow alleys), have been effectively used.The editing is deftly done and, although the running time is 3 hrs, the sequences still remain engaging. The music by **A. R. Rahman** isn’t too impressive except two of the songs - **Kaise Mujhe Tum**, and **Guzarish**. The background score is quite effective though. **A. R. Murugadoss** saddled himself with the responsibility of writing, screenplay, and direction, and although there are weaknesses, and he sort of makes up for the weaknesses in one area by tightening the others. So a lot of credit must go to him for making the film an engaging watch.
Overall, I think Ghajini should work with the audience. In spite of being a no-brainer, it is still able to strike the chord because of its performances and the execution. Watch it purely for the sheer entertainment it’s meant to deliver. And there is plenty of it for everyone!