Feb 08, 2016 10:04 PM
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If you'd judge this movie for its terrible title, you'd miss out on an action-packed thriller that keeps you hooked through most of the 128 minutes of its runtime. Agreed, 'Ghayal returns', 'Ghayal reloaded', 'Even more gravely Ghayal' or simply'Ghayal 2' would've been hard-hitting options but the contents of this one make up for the cover.
A take-off of the 1990 film, this one begins with a recap. A quick montage of the angry and young(then) Ajay Mehra(Deol) punching bullets into his arch enemy Balwant Rai(Amrish Puri) and you're updated on the back story. What follows, is rigorous imprisonment, psychological trauma caused by the news of his wife and child's death, shock treatment by Dr Rhea(Soha Ali Khan) and subsequent recovery.
Presently, Mehra helms Satyakam, a news outfit and'secret society' that fights for justice. Busting sleazy media barons and notorious doctors, Mehra is a news hour favourite. When a group of teens accidentally film a top business magnate's son killing an ex top cop, Joe D'souza(Om Puri), hell breaks loose. Like in Enemy of the State, the four teens are stalked as they try to deliver the hard disk containing the questionable video to Mehra. How he manages to crack this one makes up the rest of the film. A twist in the tale is how this case becomes personal and hence even more significant for Mehra.
What could've been avoided is Mehra's intermittently-surfacing disorder — portrayed as flitting visions of his miserable past that make Mehra groan and punch walls. Each time, he is put out of his misery by Dr Rhea, who suddenly appears with some pills. There's a loose reference to a neurological disorder but it doesn't add to the story.
At 55, Sunny Deol has the enthusiasm of a newcomer and the restraint of a veteran. He's gotten a bit bloated but still manages jumping across local trains speeding away in opposite directions and hopping across cars during rush hour. While one expects him to blow his lid in scenes where his character explodes with fury, our desi Hulk contains himself well. So, no uprooting hand pumps or other immovable object off the ground here. His punches seem a bit too considerate for the person being served but his dhaaikillo ka haath still has what it takes. Despite being paired opposite Deol, Soha Ali Khan's role is as consequential as Kunal Khemu's in any multi-starrer. But she manages her supporting job with fair diligence. None of the newcomers manage to impress or disappoint but they're merely peripheral to the plot.
The chase scenes in the film aren't nearly as terrifying as those in The Transporter series or Bond films but the fact that we're comparing, speaks volumes for how they've been conceptualised. A hat-tip to the VFX team for furnishing the aerial night shots and the cityscapes, which make aamchi Mumbai resemble any first-world metropolis.
While Ghayal was a path-breaking revenge story that won seven Filmfare Awards, this sequel won't manage as much traction. But if you're a Sunny Deol fanboy, this one ticks all: lung-tearing screams and crushing punches.
