User reviews

The tattoos on the body, the Polaroid snaps, the notes scattered around the house, and the smoking gun evidence? Short term memory loss, happening every 15 minutes. If this doesn't seem like Christopher Nolan's masterpiece Memento, then I don't know what does. Written and directed by A.R. Murugadoss, I don't see much of a nod of acknowledgement to Nolan's work, and in almost all literature, it only falls back on the fact that this is a Hindi remake of Murugadoss' own Tamil movie of the same name Ghajini, produced in 2005 (Nolan's was in 2000), which joins the ranks of films having their titles named after the chief villain.

In any case this isn't the first time that we see very obvious similarities in premise and characters being adopted for Bollywood's own productions, and the shot-in-Singapore Krrish comes to mind as well, as they had the entire setting of John Woo's Paycheck incorporated into that film. But of course in any version some merits could be found, but I believe some form of acknowledgement would be in order, other than, in this case, a quick flash of a very wordy disclaimer about Ghajini being gleaned from various short stories and material (and another paragraph which I missed given the fine print, and short duration on screen, but I'm pretty sure no mention of Memento).

Well, there are some reasons why I chose to watch this. First up, the music's by A.R. Rahman, and for all the good publicity he's getting for his work on Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, I just had to experience yet another piece of his musical magic on a film, besides one that I've watched much earlier this year in Jodhaa Akbar. One just cannot imagine how his musical talent will be put to good use in a film which looks and feels like Memento, and this being the next best thing. "Guzarish" is a track used in the trailer, and it is currently my new ear worm.

Another reason is of course, Aamir Khan. Yet another prolific actor with a penchant for perfection, it was interesting to see how his take on the protagonist's short term memory loss, would rival that of Guy Pearce's. I'm embarrassed to say I've only seen him in action in Lagaan, so this would be yet another opportunity to witness his ability which can be measured against a benchmark. But don't expect the same though, because Pearce's version was more of a thinking man who questions and second guesses himself, while Khan's version was in two parts to serve the story, one as a raging hulk monster who tears through his opponents with savage violence fueled by anger and hatred, coupled with the hurt he experienced and recalled (Hulk producers take note, in case Edward Norton decides against any more sequels, look in the direction of Aamir Khan), while the other as mild-mannered Sanjay Singhania, CEO of a telecommunications company in Mumbai.

Yes, Bollywood's version naturally comes with built-in song and dance, which for once I would have thought looked quite out of place in the movie, if not for A.R. Rahman's score and music. While half of the movie might be seen as a copy of Memento's premise and character, the other half served more to allow the audience to share the pain with Sanjay. Nolan's version had you experience the frustrating condition of the syndrome through its narrative presentation, but this one junks the reverse chronology, and plays it out flat and builds a rich back story for Sanjay, so much so that you'll root for him as he goes on his rampage of revenge. You'll find yourself entrenched in the romance between Sanjay and his lady love Kalpana (the stunning Asin, who reprises her role from the 2005 version as well), who's a model awaiting her big break, and a girl with a genuinely good heart. The plot never fails to give her numerous moments to showcase her good nature, and it's no surprise why anyone would not fall in love with her instantly. Factor in plenty of lovey-dovey moments of comedy and pursuit (under the guise of a different identity, like Shah Rukh Khan's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) which makes it perfect for a date movie, but with hindsight that you know this love is doomed from the moment it began, which actually makes it quite sad to watch the events unfold since you know what will eventually happen to her.

Ghajini doesn't adopt or try to adopt those very cerebral mind-f* moments from Memento, but as I mentioned plays it out more like a straight forward action thriller, with a handful of inevitable moments of watching our protagonist get taken advantaged of because of his condition. No other structural styles are used besides flashbacks, where the purpose of two characters in the movie are to read the diary of events so that it could be translated visually onto the screen. However you'll still be kept in the dark for some time as to why the designated thugs of Ghajini (Pradeep Rawat) would want to exact their mettle onto Sanjay and Kalpana, and you'll be held in suspense for almost 2 hours before the reasons get shown.

I can only imagine the flak that this film might receive because of having to adapt, and not properly acknowledge perhaps that it's not original material, save for the romantic spin on it. But if you would look past those ramifications and treat this like a re-imagining of Memento in more straight-forward terms, that this would still serve as an entertaining thriller done Bollywood style.

Ghajini is an out an out action thriller set at the backdrop of romance and revenge drama. Its almost a frame 2 frame remake of Tamil hit Ghajini, which was originally inspired by Memento. Since I loved both the versions. It was difficult to expect anything newer or better from the Hindi version. So the verdict would mostly revolve around "did the makers ensure the benchmarks are met". Its a definite 'A' for being able to meet the gigantic expectations. No, the director has not disappointed you.

The high points are the few thrills that are part of the narrative, the edge of the seat kinds.

While avoiding comparisons, Aamir is done a terrific job playing a confused and furious person in search of the killer of girl friend. His corporate getup was styled differently and looks convincing. I can already sense, the style being a rave shortly in the corporate dressing. His toned up body looks fab, and justifies few of the over the top fights.

Asin has won my heart again, din't think she would be able to do so, repeating the feat she did 2 years ago. In few of the reels she literally stole the movie from Aamir. The climax is different and is better picturised.

Overall when you leave the theatre you do feel if you missed something.. I can only sum up the following could be why i felt so..

1. I knew the story and could predict the dialogues in advance. 2. The length was a mild problem 3. The action sequences looked dated in parts, one blow and 4 on the ground. 4. The originals were too good to repeat it.

Oh I wished, I had the bliss of not having watched the originals, to take a fresh look at it.

For the humongous effort of the team, go watch it if you are hungry for masalas beyond cakes and wine this holiday season..

An 'Indianised' Memento, Ghajini is a masala pot-boiler revenge film that is low on distinctiveness, instead relying on vibrant cinematography, over-the-top action sequences, and superlative performances by Aamir Khan and Asin to deliver the goods. Not surprisingly, Ghajini is another tour-de-force turn by Aamir Khan, as he effectively takes to the skin of his character, exuding the laundry list of human emotion, and even bordering on animal-like in his revenge-driven state. Elsewhere, Asin infuses the right-amount of over-the-top histrionics, charm, and girl-power to make her character appealing and ultimately the emotional center-point of the film. The rest of the cast is barely adequate, with the so-called medical student, police inspector, and the main villain verging on the comedic with their clichéd, wooden performances. But, it didn't really matter. The main characters were crafted with such integrity and likability that by the end, I can honestly admit I was on the verge of tears. In the end, Ghajini was a somewhat unremarkable film that was lifted by its high-emotional quotient and some outstanding compositions by A.R. Rahman (Guzarish, Kaise Mujhe), the screeching background score aside. Worth watching once.

Short-term memory loss, violence, songs and witty dialogue sum up as 'Ghajini'. A R Murugadoss's 'Ghajini' is escapist cinema at its best. A winner all the way in that category. A Power-packed entertainer, with fantastic action, loads of violence, beautiful music score and first-rate performances!

What else to we need? Ghajini rocks. I was gripped from start to end while watching this revenge-saga. The film proved to be a Blockbuster Hit at the box office worldwide, and yes it deserved every bit of it. Bravo!

Lets Go With The Pluses First: Fantastic action sequences. Peter Hein and Stun Siva deserve an ovation for their extraordinary work. Beautiful music score by Oscar-Winner A R Rahman. Excellent performances. Aamir Khan is fantastic from start to end, his performance makes Ghajini a treat all the way. Asin is superstar material. Jiah Khan is relegated to the backseat, nevertheless she's good. Pradeep Rawat shines as the conniving villain.

Minuses: The film could've been trimmed by around about 10-15 minutes.

On the whole 'Ghajini' is a through entertainer. Go for it. Two Thumbs Up!

It has action, comedy, drama and melodrama, song, dance, thrill, romance. The film is a complete package. Asin nailed in her Bollywood debut. Execution could have been better. An additional point for music alone.

The original Tamil version of Ghajini was inspired by the American film Memento, which itself was adapted from the short story Memento Mori. The film stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a former insurance fraud investigator searching for the man he believes raped and killed his wife during a burglary. Leonard suffers from interrogate amnesia, which he contracted from severe head trauma during the attack on his wife. Certain concepts like writing notes behind instant Polaroid photographs and tattooing facts on his body were inspired by the film. According to Aamir Khan, "Ghajini is not a remake or even slightly inspired by Memento, but it's a remake of the Tamil film, Ghajini

This movie is nostalgic for me because this was the first movie that I watched on the big screen.

And talking about this movie, the movie is pretty good when it comes to its cinematography or the writing part it's banger..Aamir Khan is a great actor this movie proves it. The way he has delivered His two different persona is just amazing. And also the acting of PRADEEP RAM SINGH RAWAR aka GHAJINI has done such a great work and you feel His presence. This movie is very close to my heart. And when we get to know that kalpana never gets to know that he was Sanjay Singhania brakes my heart.

This movie is an under appreciated Masterpiece...

By the way I am reviewing this movie in 2025....

Ghajini is an out-&-out action movie. Therefore, although it is unconventional it follows some of the roles that fix it into the action movie category. If you're going to analyze this movie from outside that, then you may so choose to do so but that would be criticizing a fresh water fish for dying in the ocean. No matter that. It isn't a perfect action movie but it has several moments of near perfection. Aamir Khan's performance brings about most of those moments. His work on his body certainly makes the action sequences more believable. But the violence and action isn't unjustified and for that we have an equally balanced portion of the story dedicated to the establishment of Asin's character, Kalpana. She aptly balances Aamir's rage and justifies his almost inhuman desire for vengeance. Ghajini did not exceed my expectations but it didn't disappoint them either. It did very well as an action movie which is all it is trying to be. Nothing more, nothing less. Thank you for reading.

Easily the most awaited movie of the year... and it does not disappoint you.Truly you get back to the Hindi cinema of 1990s having action,romance,thrill just everything.It is not a complete copy of Memento but a masala version of that.With a villain Ghajini, played ferociously by Pradeep Singh Rawat, is the kind of villain who wears thick gold chains and rings on every finger.Amir is as usual brilliant in both the executive as well as the monster 8-pack look.The surprise package is Asin who is so charming and even overshadows Amir in some sequences.Action sequences are excellent, bollywood has never seen such action.My advice would be to watch this movies as soon as possible, though a long movie 3 hours of length but one never feels bored..This movie has crossed all limits of marketing and is getting the best release of all times but truly it deserves all the attention it is getting......and Amir u r the BEST!!!!!

It's an excellent movie. Except some logical and character issues, director has done a great job.

All junior artists belong to South India, due to which at some moments, it seems that you are watching a bug Tamil movie. I find Pradeep Rawat (Ghajini) as weakest character in movie. In first half of the movie, he speaks pure Hindi, while later he speaks Haryanivi. Some logical questions like, Police don't recognize Sanjay Singhania, even don't try to ask from Building reception (while Jiah Khan) asked his flat number from Security guard only.

Actress Asin has done superb performance. Despite of 3:04 Hrs long show, Director has done great job to bound the viewers. Songs are b'ful and suits the situation.

I give 8/10 for good job by A.R. Murugadoss(Writer/Director), Ravi K. Chandran(Cinematography), Amir Khan (Actor), Asin (Actress), A.R.Rehman (Music Director) .... arranged in decreasing order of performance.

GHAJINI tends to be more like a love story where the main character seeks revenge of his beloveds murder.He had been hit on his head by the goons with a metal pipe and the his memory sector gets all messed up. I bet he must have seen a movie called Memento where in a similar situation the hero tattooed things on his body to remember things. And our hero somehow manages to remember this and uses similar technique and finds the murderer and kills him. Where as MEMENTO, to my opinion is not a story of guy with a top floor damaged and can not remember a thing, but of a hare brained cop, who gets a humanitarian urge to help this guy. With a screwed up idea he cooks up plot to make the 'goldfish memory' to think that he is avenging himself and thing get real messed up. Amir Khan with his eight packs does a real convincing job of the gruesome killings. Yes there are quite some sappy sentimental moments without which Indian viewer wont be appeased . Over all this is another good movie from Amir Khan and worth seeing.

First of all i was blown of by the hardcore action i saw in this movie......for years i have been waiting for an Hindi movie which would present action in such a raw form and at last ghajini arrived.....

aamir khan is as usual deep into his characters skin but one unusual thing about him in the movie is his 8-pack body. aamir khan as a business tycoon shows how to act but at the same time not to act too loudly. on the other hand the main lead asin portrays the bubbly type character kalpana with great charm. the fact that she has done movies in the south has helped her tremendously in matching with aamir khan. jiah khan has also showed her true potential in a small but a very pivotal role.

The story of the film is quite pacey and it has the viewers hooked all the time. Ghajini is an out of the league film which i am sure will break some or the other records.

Ghajini, a perfect remake complimenting the Tamil version of the same living up to the expectation of everyone. Ghajini is a movie with emotions, suspense, revenge and adventure. Its a script where in every bit is meticulously done. The casting is one thing which is pretty debatable here. But all the actors deliver the goods with all the necessary ingredients with respect to every character. This movie's script is again kind off influenced by the English flick Memento. Its just a influence and nothing else. Aamir Khan doesn't need any special introduction, he's the Movie. An out of the world performance yet again. Aamir Khan plays the role of a Business Tycoon Sanjay Singhania, Chairman of a Big telecom company who falls in love with a small time upcoming model Kalpana played by the south Indian actress Asin who was also a part of the Tamil flick of Ghajini. Some uncalled unpleasant circumstances leads to the death of Kalpana and resulting in Sanjay becoming a victim of amnesia- a short term memory disease, who cannot remember things beyond 15 Min's. Yet making him a kill machine on a rampage to kill his girl friend's murderer. During the way to his finding the murderer he comes across a Medical student Sunita played by Jia Khan who adds some spice and suspense to the script. Jia Khan does justice to the role by her simple honest acting. The performance of Ghajini - the murderer played by Pradeep Rawat is commendable making this movie perfect with respect to the acting department. Asin's acting is exceptional and her bollywood entry is going to be remembered.

Director Murgadoss doesn't disappoint anyone at the end of the day making Ghajini a worth watch, though the fights and few other scenes depict some peculiar south Indian flavor raising a few eye brows. The music by A.R.Rahman is OK-OK! Not generating the usual Rahman effect. Guzarish being the most hummable.

Overall Ghajini is a good entertainer with a running time of 3 hrs 3 Min's.

I would go with 8 out of 10 for Murgadoss's Ghajini making it a kind off must watch for all Aamir Khan fanatics.