Prolonged flashback+bad logic+old story = Ghajini. Review on Ghajini (2008)

How would you feel if you are forced to travel standing in a train inspite of having a reservation? Well, I had the same feeling when I was watching Ghajini. I am still wondering - was this the same film for which Aamir is going gaga since few months?

Ghajini is the story of Sanjay Singhania (Aamir), whose girlfriend Sunita (Asin) gets killed by goons. As Sanjay tries to save her, he gets hit on the head and, due to the injury, becomes a victim of'short-term-memory-loss'. Hence, Sanjay is unable to make any new memories after the injury and is not able to remember any information for more than fifteen minutes. He is eager to take revenge but is hampered by his mental health. To remember his motive and to carry-out his day to day activities, he gets the information tattooed on his body. He even takes pictures of people whom he meets and writes their information on the photos in order to remember them. The big question is - will he be able to able to take revenge considering his sorry state of mind?

I have a number of problems with the film. They are as follows : -

1) The Flashback : - After a thrilling and intense start, you are taken to a flashback which lasts for almost an hour. In this time, the film, all of a sudden, becomes a time-pass comedy of errors kind. Hence, the main focus of the story is lost. If that is not enough, the same thing is showered in the post-interval sequences. One gets a feeling that the flashback was prolonged just to increase Asin's role.

2) Logic : - Sanjay leads the life of a business-tycoon, who is always involved with his work. However, after the tragic incident, he becomes so strong that he fights the well-qualified goons with utmost ease. It does not matter to him even if a group of people attack him together. If this is not enough, even the blows showered by rods have no effect on him! Amazing yaar! Plus, when Aamir goes all out to attack Ghajini and his men, the goons do not use their guns at all. They only attack Aamir with some blows and rods. Did Ghajini's men carry toy guns or did they have over-concern for noise and air pollution?

3) Length: - Because of the prolonged flashback and some stretched scenes, the film becomes too lengthy.

4) Climax : - After going through the long flash-backs and some extra-long narrative scenes, what you get to see is the same typical climax which we have been subject to since decades.

Director Murugadoss deserves praise for creating some extra-ordinary paisa-vasool scenes. However, his stretched narration and less-logic overshadows his good work. The editor of this film should be made to stand on the bench for not using his scissors in this three-hour plus movie.

The plus point is obviously Aamir Khan, who performs out of his skin. Only he can match-up to this kind of a standard. Asin makes an very promising debut and should surely be a look-out in the future. JiahKhan impresses with a simple role. A R Rahman deserves a pat on the back for songs like Guzarish, Behkaa *and *Kaise Mujhe Tu.

All in all, the movie which promised to be extra-ordinary turns-out tobe a strictly 'one-time-watch'. However, it will do very well at the box-office considering the hype and Aamir Khan's super performance.