•Wednesday, December 31, 2008
I don't get it. Before the movie, I was all hyped, after the movie, I was all hyper with agitation!! I know. I know. There will be those out there who think I'm an idiot for saying it but the truth is my negative reaction is in direct proportion to the expectations I had of it. I went online and all I read was Ghajini Rocks etc. But what about the movie rocks is my question? It reminds me of Raja Hindustani. No one liked it but everyone loved it. I just don't get it. Is it only Aamir that makes a movie work ? For one review was somewhat truthful in the fact that it said Ghajini is different in the sense that it celebrates it's dumbness. So, basically if you have Aamir, the aam janta will digest anything. That's so disturbing. What about story ? Characters? Theme ? Moral ? Editing ? etc etc ...
I for one, am someone who loves a movie to have a sensible story, a moral, any moral. Sure a movie is to get away from reality but then too, it should have part of it's feet in the present, on ground steering us towards a destination or driving by a scenery that leaves us awestruck or thoughtful. I don't usually write about movies I don't like but this is one movie that amazed me with the number of holes it has and yet is breaking every box office record!
The whole ride home I was ranting to my hubby about what all I couldn't digest about the movie. And he, a person of few words was so awestruck by the story's stupidity that this blog is about His thoughts on the same.
Ghajini - Defects in characterization/storyline ( if there was any )
Sanjay Singhania
Follows his Dad's ideals of doing business with emotion without being emotional.
Falls in love with a girl who is falsifying relationship with him and telling to friends, public and media, which might also affect his company's image after the underwear ad.
Then spends the rest of the movie hunting down people like animals only on emotion without using any of vast resources available to him as a CEO. So much about not being emotional :)
I agree anything for love, but never revealing his real identity because "he" thinks it is a good idea to keep it that way. It is same as saying that when he needs love he has the girl, but when the girl needs recognition of Sanjay Singhania, she has to live a lie to keep attaining all she needs. Not letting know her identity even after the girl falls for him sounds quite selfish to me.
He has the time and resources to gift an apartment in a secret way, but no time to think and arrange a way to tell the truth to his 'love'.
'Rab ne bana di jodi' was about loving the real guy, this movie's love department was about loving the false guy, till death. Sure it's almost poetic in it's irony but hey ! I think there's something to be said about being in love with someone who doesn't exist even. I wouldn't call it true love if I didn't know who I was in love with. I would even be royally upset, if I just gave away the One thing that wasspecial to me to arrange for money for a sick mother who also, doesn't exist.
He shares his 'secret' love life with his subordinates, uses company car for personal New Year Eve party with some small advertising company with no business interests, but doesn't use his CEO power to trace Ghajini's location using the mobile number and plan a good kill. Pretty dumb for a guy who is smart enough to equip himself with a camera and keeps notes of things to do after his memory loss.
After knowing that Kalpana is in danger calling cops would be nice especially if you have 1 minute to spare in the elevator. If you don't trust the cops, call your friends!!! What was he thinking? "I am going to beat all those goons and save Kalpana by flashing my American express ???!!!"
Kalpana Shetty
She is all social and bubbly, but she never tries to visit the Sanjay's house???? Know things about the Sanjay's family?? I think girls know these things naturally in the first few dates, let alone committing to marry the guy.
The guy she's with has a heart of gold, donating Rs 5 Lakh to a charity he doesn't know. Leaving a check of Rs 5 Lakh with people he doesn't know would certainly raise questions on his character, an underwear model with so much money, especially in India.
After Ghajini confesses to her about killing off girls, she goes home to her apartment. Who does that ? Call the cops ? Call your boy friend. Tell Someone, anyone. But hey, what can the poor girl do? She never knew her bf was a hot shot with money or she might have had some security.
Brave and clever Police Officer
He is shown as a clever cop who catches the criminal within 48 hours, but doesn't remember to call for backup or share his findings with his department???
While fighting with Sanjay he never ones shouts out that he's a police officer. He doesn't even want to tell Sanjay that he is a good cop and will be on his side in investigating the murder. Even when he gets caught with the girl the second time, that time too he chooses to leave the girl behind; with a murderer I might add and make a run for it. Wow!! No wonder people are scared to approach the police
Medical Student
She is all curious and methodical when she wants to know Sanjay's medical case, becomes his friend, and even steals and reads his personal diary. Only she knows how Sanjay remembers things using camera, photo, 15 min alarm. But when she drops Sanjay to Ghajini's place, she leaves him without those things.
Police Department
They remove Sanjay's clothes, but have no clue of what is written on his body "Kalpana was killed", "Kill Ghajini", phone numbers, does it ring a bell??? NO?? Ok, how about the pictures in his pockets, pictures of dead people with 'Done' in the bottom??? No??? Oh come on, at least he is not a normal guy with tattoos .. And the words 'murder' and 'kill' are on the body.... No one bothers to question the employees of what happened to this guy ??? I'd think it would be my first reaction to ask someone about what the tattoo on their body stands for.
15 min Plot
Ok, everyone knows 15 min is Not 15 min in movies, but the random time line is Never adhered to. This all after the fact that going from one place in to another place in Mumbai takes more than 15 minutes. Going from home to girls hostel, hospital to Ghajini's place. There is very little reference to the 15 min memory loss except in the last scene where he forgets who he was after.
All in all a colossal disappointment !! What upsets me is what they expect the audience to accept without question. The characters are finicky, the plot line shaky and common sense has not even a back seat.
I like Aamir Khan's movies for being quite appealing to the intellect. Characters who may not be completely real in his movies, but they were smart and were convincing. Main lead used to be the smartest one. Remember Dil, Taare Zameen Par, Sarfarosh, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, etc. Sure there are bits and pieces of the movie that are commendable but a few well acted / shot scenes do not a film make. This movie doesn't have Aamir Khan signature on it !!
I for one, am someone who loves a movie to have a sensible story, a moral, any moral. Sure a movie is to get away from reality but then too, it should have part of it's feet in the present, on ground steering us towards a destination or driving by a scenery that leaves us awestruck or thoughtful. I don't usually write about movies I don't like but this is one movie that amazed me with the number of holes it has and yet is breaking every box office record!
The whole ride home I was ranting to my hubby about what all I couldn't digest about the movie. And he, a person of few words was so awestruck by the story's stupidity that this blog is about His thoughts on the same.
Ghajini - Defects in characterization/storyline ( if there was any )
Sanjay Singhania
Follows his Dad's ideals of doing business with emotion without being emotional.
Falls in love with a girl who is falsifying relationship with him and telling to friends, public and media, which might also affect his company's image after the underwear ad.
Then spends the rest of the movie hunting down people like animals only on emotion without using any of vast resources available to him as a CEO. So much about not being emotional :)
I agree anything for love, but never revealing his real identity because "he" thinks it is a good idea to keep it that way. It is same as saying that when he needs love he has the girl, but when the girl needs recognition of Sanjay Singhania, she has to live a lie to keep attaining all she needs. Not letting know her identity even after the girl falls for him sounds quite selfish to me.
He has the time and resources to gift an apartment in a secret way, but no time to think and arrange a way to tell the truth to his 'love'.
'Rab ne bana di jodi' was about loving the real guy, this movie's love department was about loving the false guy, till death. Sure it's almost poetic in it's irony but hey ! I think there's something to be said about being in love with someone who doesn't exist even. I wouldn't call it true love if I didn't know who I was in love with. I would even be royally upset, if I just gave away the One thing that wasspecial to me to arrange for money for a sick mother who also, doesn't exist.
He shares his 'secret' love life with his subordinates, uses company car for personal New Year Eve party with some small advertising company with no business interests, but doesn't use his CEO power to trace Ghajini's location using the mobile number and plan a good kill. Pretty dumb for a guy who is smart enough to equip himself with a camera and keeps notes of things to do after his memory loss.
After knowing that Kalpana is in danger calling cops would be nice especially if you have 1 minute to spare in the elevator. If you don't trust the cops, call your friends!!! What was he thinking? "I am going to beat all those goons and save Kalpana by flashing my American express ???!!!"
Kalpana Shetty
She is all social and bubbly, but she never tries to visit the Sanjay's house???? Know things about the Sanjay's family?? I think girls know these things naturally in the first few dates, let alone committing to marry the guy.
The guy she's with has a heart of gold, donating Rs 5 Lakh to a charity he doesn't know. Leaving a check of Rs 5 Lakh with people he doesn't know would certainly raise questions on his character, an underwear model with so much money, especially in India.
After Ghajini confesses to her about killing off girls, she goes home to her apartment. Who does that ? Call the cops ? Call your boy friend. Tell Someone, anyone. But hey, what can the poor girl do? She never knew her bf was a hot shot with money or she might have had some security.
Brave and clever Police Officer
He is shown as a clever cop who catches the criminal within 48 hours, but doesn't remember to call for backup or share his findings with his department???
While fighting with Sanjay he never ones shouts out that he's a police officer. He doesn't even want to tell Sanjay that he is a good cop and will be on his side in investigating the murder. Even when he gets caught with the girl the second time, that time too he chooses to leave the girl behind; with a murderer I might add and make a run for it. Wow!! No wonder people are scared to approach the police
Medical Student
She is all curious and methodical when she wants to know Sanjay's medical case, becomes his friend, and even steals and reads his personal diary. Only she knows how Sanjay remembers things using camera, photo, 15 min alarm. But when she drops Sanjay to Ghajini's place, she leaves him without those things.
Police Department
They remove Sanjay's clothes, but have no clue of what is written on his body "Kalpana was killed", "Kill Ghajini", phone numbers, does it ring a bell??? NO?? Ok, how about the pictures in his pockets, pictures of dead people with 'Done' in the bottom??? No??? Oh come on, at least he is not a normal guy with tattoos .. And the words 'murder' and 'kill' are on the body.... No one bothers to question the employees of what happened to this guy ??? I'd think it would be my first reaction to ask someone about what the tattoo on their body stands for.
15 min Plot
Ok, everyone knows 15 min is Not 15 min in movies, but the random time line is Never adhered to. This all after the fact that going from one place in to another place in Mumbai takes more than 15 minutes. Going from home to girls hostel, hospital to Ghajini's place. There is very little reference to the 15 min memory loss except in the last scene where he forgets who he was after.
All in all a colossal disappointment !! What upsets me is what they expect the audience to accept without question. The characters are finicky, the plot line shaky and common sense has not even a back seat.
I like Aamir Khan's movies for being quite appealing to the intellect. Characters who may not be completely real in his movies, but they were smart and were convincing. Main lead used to be the smartest one. Remember Dil, Taare Zameen Par, Sarfarosh, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, etc. Sure there are bits and pieces of the movie that are commendable but a few well acted / shot scenes do not a film make. This movie doesn't have Aamir Khan signature on it !!
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3 Spin Offs:
lol.
I know. Disappointment. Apart from the fact that it had an impact on me ( a severe head ache and almost given up neck ) which was because I was sitting in the first row btw. But did seem like a heavy one.
It was non-sense. And it was a Super Hit. Thats bollywood for you.
Good review.I agree,the movie is just average.And it's just a remake after all.