Ghajini-A belated review

The clock just struck 0000. It was a good 2nd last day of 2008. Returned about 15 minutes ago. Was watching "Ghajini" with office friends, courtsey the farewell treat by my (now ex) manager.

I can't resist writing a review. Though it is not to help others decide whether to watch the movie or not.




So is Morugdoss really a grt director? I feel a bit dishonest to admit so. So what exactly has he done to make a movie that rakes 100cr moolah within 5 days?

Sometimes characterisation (which is of course copied to 95% from Memento) overpowers the weak (too predictable) storyline. Ghajini is such case.

Ofcourse those who haven't seen memento may get impressed by a part of storyline, i.e. the characterisation of the protagonist.

Sajay Singhania (Amir), who is a fusion of Anil Ambani (Papa ka sapna har hath mein mobile apna) and Sunil Mittal (Air Voice does resemble AirTel), is a name which every Tom, Dick and Harry knows but hasn't seen his pictures (like Howard Hughes).

The movie has its share of fun moments with puns revolving around his mistaken identity by Kalpana (Asin), who is "Helpin all selflessly" girl. He begins to love her and wants her to love him back, before he should reveal his identity.

Amir's brief face-off with shahrukh's lookalike (the guy from Kya aap Panchvi fail champu hain) is worth some smiles (not for shahrukh though).

She does love him back, to an extent that she sells off her 2nd hand purchased Ambassador for Rs1,35,000 (somebody got cheated), to pay for amir's falsely told ill mother at amir's village.

Before Amir's return trip from UK, Kalpana gets herself into trouble by pissing off the goon ghajini, resulting in him sending his sidekicks to finish her off. Sanjay reaches in time to see her dying, before being hit by Iron bar on his head, resulting in his anterograde amnesia.

Morugdoss(MD) lifts the term from "Memento" without conceptualising it correctly. The term means, man's memory before the accident is intact but he can't make new memories. MD messes up with Amir's total memory.

Now Amir with help of his tatoos,photographs, (unnecesaary) maps and wallpapers (all lifted from memento) along with some infallible help from Jiah Khan (a medical student) hunts Ghajini down.

The film is a good attempt. But, could have done away with predictabilty and weak storyline which were so unnecessary for audience to connect with Amir's medical condition. The result: audience laughs are loud enough when amir goes haywire hitting goons all around and suddenly loses the plot of the things. The good version should have held the audience in awe and palpating when he is humbly duped by the goon, who is about to attack from back.

A good commercial product for Amir's Fans and everybody. Amir is really good with his anger, action and bod, not to mention. A heart put out act by him deserves him the biggest blockbuster of the year at least.

My only wish; rather han making a Tamil Film remake, they should have made a remake of Memento out and out.

Watch Ghajini and then watch Memento. You will enjoy both.
You will prefer you don't do vice versa.


2.83/5 (Being a perfectionist as Amir)

Cheers
Have a great new year ahead.