The stupendous success of Aamir Khan starrer Ghajini (it made Rs 200 crore worldwide at last count and is recognised as an all-time Bollywood blockbuster) is making me wonder if the film really deserved it. Here is why I think it isn’t really a great film:
1. It’s not an original story. The main premise of ‘short term memory loss’ is lifted from the Hollywood film, Memento.
2. It’s a very violent film and can only encourage many more filmmakers to revive the action/violence genre, which isn’t a good thing in today’s terrorist-ridden times.
3. It’s not really the best performance from the perfectionist Aamir Khan. I prefer his earlier outing, Taare Zameen Par.
4. The original English film Memento is way better and makes you think long after the film is over. Ghajini doesn’t move you one bit. Instead, it makes you as unsure as Aamir is when he loses his memory in the film and doesn’t know what he’s doing.
5. Glamourising ‘revenge’ isn’t a great lesson to teach humanity. And Ghajini lives and breathes this negative emotion in every frame.