Producer: Allu Arvind and Madhu Mantena

Writer,director: A.R. Murugadoss

Stars: Aamir Khan, Asin, Jiah Khan, Pradeep Rawat

Creative Quotient:
Sanjay Singhania (Aamir Khan), the owner of a prosperous cell-phone company, is no longer the coprporate slicker he used to be when he first met his sweetheart Kalpana (Asin), a garrulous modelling coordinator. After his skull has been cracked open by the villain supreme Ghajini (Pradeep Rawat), he suffers short-term memory loss every 15 minutes. In order to remind himself of his violent encounter and life earlier - he makes use of ugly mirror-image tattooes on his torso and a Polaroid camera with which he captures images of his regular surroundings. His house is marked with indicators and maps that will help him rejuvenate his memory. Perhaps a simpler solution would have been to have a companion about with the necessary documents and snaps serving the same purpose. However, that would certainly take away the dramatic element of the narrative. So the eight-pack body and the reminders!

Although the film is being made out to be a psychological thriller, it is in essence a sweet love story between a rich tycoon who poses to be a struggling model for the sake of a working woman. Kalpana, chirpy, bubbly a la Basanti from Sholay may tell some white lies to gain some importance but she’s really a Good Samaritan who will help and rescue the helpless. During one such good deed, she rescues young rural girls from illegal organ sellers. Hell breaks loose and Ghajini, the head of this criminal enterprise ends up murdering her and cracking open Sanjay’s skull. How Sanjay re-constructs his past and hunts down the dreaded Ghajini with the help of a medical student (Jiah Khan) is what the film is about.

While the premise and modus operandi of the story is suspiciously similar to that of Memento, the screenplay is so crisp and engrossing that you tend to overlook the loopholes in it. One lesson that the film teaches you all over again is if you are in the hiding, keep your cellphone in silent mode ...

Technical Expertise:
Debutant writer-director A R Murugadoss casts a spell with his thriller-romance. He packs in romance, action and masala in a glad proportion. As for action sequences - they are aplenty and gory but nothing compared to what we just saw in the live telecast of Mumbai’s terror. The violence is graphic in a couple of scenes - the only redeeming factor is that much of it is justified.

Aamir Khan as the suave corporate head-honcho in the first half and the avenging brute in the latter half essays his role with an engaging sincerity. His fans will rejoice at his new, youthful looks as well as his competent act. Asin makes a confident Hindi debut - she has an easy, endearing screen presence. She’s one newcomer to watch out for. Jiah Khan is appropriate for her role as a young collegian - cool and confused.

The song picturisations are a visual treat - Behka, which showcases six (not so different) avatars of Aamir in one frame (Merzin Tavaria’s visual wizardry deserves an applause) and then Guzarish set in the arid deserts of Namibia are high on gloss and grandeur, reflecting the high-production values of the film. Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography is eye-catching, Resul Pookutty’s sound is effective and A R Rahman’s score blends in well with the narrative. The only trying aspect of the film is its inordinate length and overdose of violence. Editor Anthony leaves too much flab in frames - a neat trim, especially of the endless gory action sequences would certainly make it more palatable.

On the whole, a high gloss, masaledaar film for hardcore Bollywood buffs.