Subhash K. Jha speaks about Ghajini
 By Subhash K. Jha, Bollywood Hungama News Network At mid-point when we watch in stunned silence as the protagonist tries to piece together his shattered life, an abrasive aggressive cop rummages through drawers for the second part of our memory-challenged hero's belligerent blood-thirsty love story. The cop's anxiety is ours. By the time we reach interval we want to know about the trauma that changed the suave softspoken shy Sanjay Singhania (Aamir Khan) into a killing machine. Earlier this month, we saw Shah Rukh Khan achieve a smooth 'chuckle'-and-hyde transition in Aditya Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, from a staid middleclass husband to a boorish dancing dude. Aamir Khan's makeover in Ghajini is far trickier and complex. It's not so much about the muscles. It's all in the mind. To play this character whose life changes overnight from a thirst for love to a hunger for vendetta, is an awesome responsibility to uphold for any actor. Aamir plays the traumatized amnesiac Singhania as an actor looking from the outside at a character that has detached itself from its own life. It's a performance of splendid skill and subtlety in a film that doesn't celebrate those qualities. Mercifully this ode to mayhem is not a showcase for Aamir's muscles and histrionic hijinks. He reins in his gusto to let the character's stunning switch from roses to guns acquire a life that we haven't perceived such a stereotypical character achieve before. Often Aamir lets his hugely-charming co-star Asin take over the scenes. She's a bit of a livewire, this fast-talking scooter-riding do-gooder with a penchant for getting into snarls. And when one snarl involving a prostitution racket for minor girls takes her to the doorstep and beyond of savage death, we mourn for the passing of innocence and charm as much as Sanjay Singhania. These are not pretty times that we are living through. Ghajini in some subverted way is indicative of our traumatic times. The brutal cocksureness with which the villain Ghajini(Pradeep Rawat) murders Kalpana and pounds Sanjay Singhania's head to a memory mess, is a telescopic view of what the sociopath can do to civil society. No one is safe from criminal attack. Not even the super-elite like Sanjay Singhania. Ghajini is not for the squeamish. The violence is prolonged, sadistic and often done with the elaborate abundance and eye-catching elan of a staged opera (Ravi Chandran's camerawork glistens and bristles with optimum optical glory). And yet women in the audience seemed to love the film. Ghajini is at heart a love story of a cocooned tycoon who discovers love in a working-class environment. Aamir Khan's expressions of bewilderment, curiosity pleasure and acceptance in Asin's company remind you of a baby that's just discovered mother-love. That a film as violent as Ghajini secretes such tenderness at its heart, is a wonder that never ceases in the frenetic narration. Director Murugadoss is not completely successful in taking the Tamilian mood of melodramatized mayhem out of the narrative. He nevertheless succeeds in giving a compelling spin to what would have otherwise been a routine vendetta saga. Sequences such as the one in the speeding train where Kalpana is chased down by goons have an edge-of-the-seat quality that elevates the potboiler plot to a level that the revenge genre in Hindi has seldom achieved. The climactic combat with the eponymous villain is staged in narrow dusty lanes and bylanes where the rubble and waste material becomes lethal weapons of attack and stock-taking. No doubt Murugadoss is a master of violence. His eye for pain and trauma are unerring and chilling. A lot has been said and written about Aamir Khan's pumped-up physique. He's wonderfully primeval as the amnesiac animal screaming in bloodcurdling isolation. But the sinewy quality in Aamir's performance is not traceable to his muscles. It's the way his heart beats for this unfortunate character who loses love memory and faith all in one swoop, that makes Aamir's performance a towering achievement. I am not too sure if the muscled look suits the actor. But his remarkable grip over his character's graph gives the film its vaunted and vibrant feel of poetry beyond the in-your-face savagery and violence which would have otherwise become unbearably oppressive. Asin with her gamine-like dukaan of expressions is the female discovery of 2008. When she bows out of the plot, the lights go out. And not just from Sanjay Singhania's life. Bookmark/Search this post with: |
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Propeller
Reddit
Magnoliacom
Newsvine
Furl
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
Technorati
Icerocket| Comments |
Advertisement
Related Articles
- Movie Review: Lahore
- Movie Review: Shaapit
- 'Lahore' takes spirit of sportsmanship across the border (Review)
- 'Shaapit' about curses and how they work (Preview)
- 'Lahore', easing India-Pakistan ties through sports (Preview)
- Movie Review: Love Sex Aur Dhokha
- Movie Review: Na Ghar Ke Na Ghaat Ke
- Movie Review: Hide & Seek
- Movie Review: Right Yaaa Wrong
- 'Right Yaaa Wrong' about friends turning foes (Preview)
- Movie Review: Road, Movie
- Movie Review: Thanks Maa
- Movie Review: Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?
- 'Atithi tum kab...?' about unannounced guests (Preview)
- 'Road, Movie' about journey of cinema (Preview)
- Subhash K. Jha on 'Karthik Calling Karthik'
- Movie Review: Teen Patti
- Movie Review: Karthik Calling Karthik
- Movie Review: Toh Baat Pakki
- Movie Review: Click
Amir's best movie so far, way better actor than SHK. One thing i dont get about SHK fans evens if his movies are the dumbiest movies it is still excellent to them.
This is the best movie of 2009 Shk shucks. Amir Khan is the best actor of bollywood.
ONCE AGAIN AMIR KHAN PROVES THAT NO BODY IS LIKE AMIR KHAN
AND GHAJINI IS ONE OF THE BEST MOIVE IN INDIAN CINEMA
MUST WATCH
AMIR YOU ARE "THE BEST"
JOHN
you know what this movie reveals a true love story
The movie was really really great. Aamir's face showed all the emotions he had for his lover and his lust for taking revenge. His acting kept us at out toes ever moment. Asin also looked cute and acted brilliantly. I loved to watch his psychological thriller and hope bollywood would make this sort of movie in spite of making all those crap and romantic movies. 10/10 for this movie. Aamir is the best actor in the present days.
Another great performance by Aamir. Sure bet for 2008 best actor. Good luck Aamir.
first of all I will watch this great movie again.
the movie is awesome .... with incomparable acting ....Amir acting , Body and Performance was out of this world
muna
Australia
This is wat makes Aamir somewat different from the rest of Bollywood actors...may it be his hard work to build such a physique so as to suit the character or may it be a very different title...that is based on villian's name unlike rest of bollywood movies!!!.....apart from all these his quality of playing two characters simultaneously is incomparable...he has done his work perfectly for both:Sanjay Singhania and Sachin.
And not to forget is Asin's gr888 job too....It really seems that Bollywood has discovered a new female talent from South.All in all "Ghajini"is awesome movie in all aspects...right from the direction point of view to its music to its script.
GHAIJINI is a great movie! its the most awesome movie that i have ever watched w Aamir Khan in it! i absolutely loed it! i reallie wanna watch it again! i dont think i can even get sick of this movie! GHAJINI made me feel all those emotions which are important in our daily lives! also, all 5 songs in the movie are composed superbly and the rhythm is sooo catching, the tune is sooo lively! hahax...all in all, Aamir Khan, Asin and the rest of the people involved have done a marvelous job!
She is one hell of a talented actress and a new discovery.
i couldnt have found a better way to waste my time, Heroin needs to improve her acting she didnt do a very nice job . she needs to practice more in the ads displayed in the movie...
The movie was really nice and obviously no body can challenge Aamir khans acting but the title seems to be a bit odd. I think Ghajini should have been the name of kalpana or something like that.
CHeerz
He is not no 2 to anyone.He is the incomparable one.He is the most creative actor of Indian cinema today.That shows in his performances.
Ina
Bangladesh
Hello ...
Amir is really a superb / gr8 and the BEST ...... so one can challange his actig nor one can stand in front of him even SRK ......
The Film is awesome .... it'll definetly / for sure the best film of the year and should be the Oscar winner also ....
Asin (the heroin) also is a superb actress ..........
Shortly, Amir is Amir ......
great movie. Superb perfromance vby Aamir and Asim.
I just read the review by ‘Taran Adarsh’ of ‘RNBDJ’. His use of English is incorrect and he cannot even write in clear sentences.
What has he reviewed exactly? He just answers his own questions really, as it shows how unsure he is of his own writing or reveiw. His predictions of the fate of the film is also ambigious and has proved how incorrect he is. ‘RNBDJ’ is nothing like ‘Satyam Shivam Sunderam’ or by any means similar to any of the movies he has mentioned.
I want to also point out that SRK does not only make romantic films, its just that ironically, his romantic roles have been widely appreciated and loved world over. ‘RNBDJ’ for me personally, was a beautiful experience. He plays Surinder with a lot of maturity, simplicity and warmth. As you see him, you fall in love with the character. If you’ve watched the film, we all know that Surinder is ‘Raj’ and will also agree that maybe ‘Taani’ knew deep down that ‘Raj’ was ‘Surinder’, but, she wanted him to be someone like ‘Raj’ and therefore, tried to convince herself that this is someone else, or somebody that she would have liked to fall in love with? Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where you may like someone but, just wished that they were like somebody else perhaps? That for me is ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’. And I love how the film ended, when ‘Surinder’ turns up at the end. Its a beautiful moment. He suddenly becomes aware of who he is and becomes comfortable in his own skin. I loved every moment and dont think I was bored by even a second. If I was laughing, then I was crying. Theres always something happening. I love how the film is so ‘desi’ and indian in its concept. Yes it has traditional values and i think Indians need to be reminded of their culture and values from time to time. These kind of films do much better abroad and I live in the UK and only hope we get to see more fantastic films like ‘Rab Ne’. I agree its no ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya’, but, why compare?? Accept the film for what it is. Its a great movie and people all over the world are enjoying it and basking in it. Well done to Yash Raj team once again for delivering a beautiful entertainer!
wonderfully put together. Aamir Khan is simply great. What a movie absolutely out of this world. Go watch the movie or it is your loss
awesome
Amirkhan is one ofthe best actor in bollywood who has a different personality.smartness.actiong and his expression during his play that no one can do it like him,
the heroin done great job in this movie fantastic work of whole team and no mistake of director,oter director has to learn something from................,And oter actor and actress has to learn from...........without ego to be success,
THIS MOVIE ROCKS IN CHICAGO,
"BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR"
"GREAT ENTERTAINMENT FOR HUMAN"
MEGHA(USA)
Great movie, Great performance by perfectionist Aamir Khan-the Royal Khan. The # 2 after Amitabh Bachhan....
Post new comment