Going to see a film like Ghajini one has to go with the right expectations. You cant go to watch Ghajini having a TZP, RDB or a Lagaan in mind. As said by Aamir it is actually an escapist film. Its long since we saw a full blown action film. We have had action films in the recent past but there action was more about chase sequences. Ghajini revives the good old action and
Maar Dhaad. But it is way more believable than the 80's films becuase of the technological advancements, better experts and mostly because of Aamir Khan makes it look believable.
Ghajini apart from being an action film is also a love story at its soul. The action we see is for the revenge of the protagonist's beloved's murder. The protagonist is a rich businessman Sanjay Singhania(Aamir Khan) and his beloved is Kalpana(Asin). There love story has certain charm to it and their chemistry is awesome becuase of the way their characters are. Kalpana is very charming, outspoken and has a child like energy whereas Sanjay is mature and responsible kind of a guy. They balance their personalities very well. Their love story is shown mainly as a flashback in the film. There is also a lot of humour in that part in contrast to the darkness in the present part. All the comic scenes are really good due to the situations offered by the screenplay and Asin. The way she explains her faked first meeting with Sanjay Singhania to everyone induces uncontrollable laughter everytime. Also when she is required to bring Sanjay Singhania to office party, those scenes are amazing. The best part in the love story is that Sanjay does not want Kalpana to know who he really is and want her to love him like a common man. Though later it becomes a tragedy as Kalpana gets murdered without Sanjay being able to tell him that who he was.
The death of Kalpana and their unrealized love turns Sanjay from a suave business man to a merciless killer machine. He cannot remember anything for more than 15 minutes but with the help of notes and the photographs how he manages to reach Ghajini forms the crux of Ghajini. Sanjay now has only one aim that is to find Ghajini and kill him to revenge the death of Kalpana.
A.R. Muragadoss, the director of both the original and the remake has done a very good job. He knows what he is doing and has a very good hold on the narrative. He handles both the action sequnces as well as the romantic scenes with amazing ease.
The cinematography by Ravi K. Chandran is a high point of the film. He shoots the flashback scenes and the present sequences very differently to bring out the mood of the situation. Editing by Anthony is also really good. The film despite being 3 hours long doesn't bore at any point. The narrative is always moving. Also the flashback sequences have been merged very well with the present.
Song picturisation is also really good. I really liked 6 Aamir Khans in the Behka song. The best was when all 6 are dancing together. Picturisation of Guzarish is also amazing. Aamir and Asin both look really dashing in the song and we get to see many unseen locations with great visuals. Aye bachchu is Asin's intro song and its picturisation is also really good. Only lattu seems a bit out of place and is thankfully not shown fully. Kaise Mujhe is played in the background and has the best impact of them all even long after you have left cinema hall. The song has some really great cinematography and Aamir's expressions in the song proves his class as an actor.
Music by Rahman is quite brilliant. Guzarish, Behka and Ae bachchu are all amazing songs in their own capacities but the best is surely kaise mujhe which gives soul to the film. Now as for the action its the best action of this kind I have ever seen on Hindi Cinema. During the final action sequences I was awestruck. Though it was pretty long I was hoping it not to end. Action is definitely not realistic but Aamir Khan makes it look very believable. kudos to the stunt directors Peter Hienes and Stun Shiva.
Ghajini as a film rests on the brilliant performance by Aamir Khan. He shines in both the roles. As a businessman he gives a brillaintly controlled and subtle performance. He does not speak much and lets Asin do all the talking. But his expressions are priceless. His role in other part is very challenging for any actor as it is a larger than life fantasical kind of character. Its not an easy task to portray the role of a person who loses his memory every 15 minutes and is yet motivated enough to revenge for his beloved's death. Its not only a physical transformation that he had to undergo but a pyschological one as well. As Aamir is a thinking actor, he had to understand what goes inside the mind of such a character. He beats up the goons mercilessly but after his memory goes away wonders what all has happen. He does it brilliantly through his expressions and body language. His eyes conveys his hunger for revenge amazingly. Definitely its Aamir's most difficult role.
Asin is really really charming. She is a powerhouse. To be in the same frame as Aamir and yet be noticed is no mean feat. She does her role really well so the audience actually roots for Aamir for her murder's revenge in the film. Pradeep Rawat is good as the villain and Ziah Khan is also convincing in her role. The characters actors in the flashback portions are all good but in present day portions the character actors could have been much better.
All in all Ghajini is a really amazing full blown entertainer if you go with the right mindset for the film of this kind. There is something for everybody in the film. There is brilliant action, there is amazing love story, beautifully picturised songs, very good situational comedy and most importantly Aamir Khan.
