First of all, I would like to tell those who were waiting on a post from me that I've been extremely busy at work. Gosh, I started this post two days ago!! Urgh. It's the busiest time of the year. Working at a payroll company, I get no time off for the months of December and January.
Well, let's talk about Memento, the film that both the Tamil and Hindi versions of Ghajini has taken inspiration from. I still say inspiration because I honestly don't see as being a "remake." Yes, I will say it again -- Ghajini has taken the main plot of Memento and used it, making it more suitable for the Indian audiences.
If you go in watching Ghajini, either versions, having too much expectations and finding so many faults in it because it isn't realistic, then forget watching Ghajini. For me, the Indian cinema industry has always had a lot of masala movies - mixture of many genres with a bunch of WTF moments. How do you expect a Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, or even Fanaa to do so well? Aren't there too many loose ends as well? Although there isn't much violence in those movies compared to Ghajini, isn't it the same thing - "unrealistic"? You want to talk about realistic but a movie is a movie unless it's a documentary then that's another story. That's why I love Indian cinema. I feel I can escape into my own world and jump into a dreamland when watching the films. If I wanted to watch something more serious, then I'll watch an "art" film, as many would call it. There's many types of movies catered towards everyone. For me personally, I don't feel the need to always criticize a movie. Sometimes I may just make fun of the movie despite how much I love it but still nothing to be taken too serious and get all upset about. Or call the stars names for doing a movie which the formulas have been overplayed many times. No way am I am expert on analyzing films, I mainly watch films to be entertained. If in the end, I'm satisfied, than that's all that matters.
You can read both my reviews on Ghajini with no spoilers - Ghajini (Tamil) with Surya and Ghajini (Hindi) with Aamir Khan.
WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING.
WHAT I AM GOING TO DISCUSS CONTAINS MANY SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF THE FILMS - MEMENTO, GHAJINI - HINDI & TAMIL
Read at your own risk about Memento since I am going to spoil the whole film, on why I don't think Ghajini has been remade
I started off giving spoilers of what Memento is all about. Then it got too long... I still had to write about Ghajini!! Therefore this is how I did it.
Well, let's talk about Memento, the film that both the Tamil and Hindi versions of Ghajini has taken inspiration from. I still say inspiration because I honestly don't see as being a "remake." Yes, I will say it again -- Ghajini has taken the main plot of Memento and used it, making it more suitable for the Indian audiences.
If you go in watching Ghajini, either versions, having too much expectations and finding so many faults in it because it isn't realistic, then forget watching Ghajini. For me, the Indian cinema industry has always had a lot of masala movies - mixture of many genres with a bunch of WTF moments. How do you expect a Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, or even Fanaa to do so well? Aren't there too many loose ends as well? Although there isn't much violence in those movies compared to Ghajini, isn't it the same thing - "unrealistic"? You want to talk about realistic but a movie is a movie unless it's a documentary then that's another story. That's why I love Indian cinema. I feel I can escape into my own world and jump into a dreamland when watching the films. If I wanted to watch something more serious, then I'll watch an "art" film, as many would call it. There's many types of movies catered towards everyone. For me personally, I don't feel the need to always criticize a movie. Sometimes I may just make fun of the movie despite how much I love it but still nothing to be taken too serious and get all upset about. Or call the stars names for doing a movie which the formulas have been overplayed many times. No way am I am expert on analyzing films, I mainly watch films to be entertained. If in the end, I'm satisfied, than that's all that matters.
You can read both my reviews on Ghajini with no spoilers - Ghajini (Tamil) with Surya and Ghajini (Hindi) with Aamir Khan.
WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. WARNING.
WHAT I AM GOING TO DISCUSS CONTAINS MANY SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF THE FILMS - MEMENTO, GHAJINI - HINDI & TAMIL
Read at your own risk about Memento since I am going to spoil the whole film, on why I don't think Ghajini has been remade
I started off giving spoilers of what Memento is all about. Then it got too long... I still had to write about Ghajini!! Therefore this is how I did it.
Similarities
- Some flashbacks are shown- Main character's signifant other gets killed
- Main character suffers from short-term memory loss due to severe head trauma
- Main character write notes, takes Polaroids, has tattoos body to remind him of the incident
- Main character is looking for killer
Some differences
Memento
- Leonard is an insurance agent fraud investigator
- Movie is told in both reverse and choronological order
- Movie shown from Leonard's perspectives
- Flashbacks and black & white film is used
- Cop manipulates Leonard and uses Leonard's condition to help him
- Leonard was married and lost his wife to two burglars trying to invade his home
- Audience is guessing who the villian is
Ghajini (Tamil & Hindi)- Movie is told in both reverse and choronological order
- Movie shown from Leonard's perspectives
- Flashbacks and black & white film is used
- Cop manipulates Leonard and uses Leonard's condition to help him
- Leonard was married and lost his wife to two burglars trying to invade his home
- Audience is guessing who the villian is
- Sanjay is a rich businessman
- Flashbook are mostly narrated with documentation
- Several crooked cops are in the film but doesn't know much about Sanjay's condition
- Sanjay lost his love to goons who wanted her dead because of her knowledge of them
- Villian is revealed
- Flashbook are mostly narrated with documentation
- Several crooked cops are in the film but doesn't know much about Sanjay's condition
- Sanjay lost his love to goons who wanted her dead because of her knowledge of them
- Villian is revealed
Memento is definitely a brilliant movie. Interesting, filming Memento took less than a month. One reason why it's really a good film is the how the story was told and unfolded. The film is definitely a thriller that keeps you guessing what happened, why it happened, who it's happening to. Many of the scenes are re-played again to ensure and remind you to pay attention and stay focus on what's really happening. While watching the film, you see it told in two different forms. One is reverse chronological order, in other words, backwards -- it is shown in black and white. The other one is in chronological order and shown in color.
When watching Memento, you have a case of why did he just kill that guy? What's up with the killing? So the way Memento was filmed, I didn't see any of that in Ghajini. Plus, you don't feel pity for Leonard at the end. Everyone is manipulating each other for his or her own selfish gains. When the film ends (actually it begins because it's backwards), you are in confusion because you can't believe all that's happened. For me, I loved how confused I was. What I mean by that is, I love a film that makes me think even more about hat happened. So I watched it the second time around, I understood it a bit more. However, the film is still unclear. It never really let you have a good feeling of who actually is the bad guy -- what I mean by that is there is no sense of truth there. Natalie, the woman who you felt sorry for, you end up disliking because she starts to manipulate Leonard as well. She takes advantage of his condition and uses him. Just when you thought Leonard actually had someone to confine in, even Teddy, a cop, who was helping him in finding the killer, manipulates Leonard for his personal gains as well. You can't even say Leonard is the"good" guy either because once the movie ends (it actually begins) - Leonard manipulates even himself -- it unfolds how Leonard knows he will not remember things so he purposely leaves himself clues so he can have a detective game and solve it.
If anyone wants me to go into details what happened in Memento, please let me know. I will do that but it will be very detailed and descriptive. Just that I wanted to focus more on the Ghajinis on this post.
Now, let's compare both Ghajinis. The Tamil version with Surya released in 2005 and was a megahit. Even the Hindi version with Aamir that just released on December 25, 2008, is heading up to a sure hit and has been sold out in many places.
Again, you can read both my reviews on Ghajini with no spoilers - Ghajini (Tamil) with Surya and Ghajini (Hindi) with Aamir Khan.
Similarities
Besides the Memento-ness that it took mentioned above -- Main character suffers from short-term memory loss due to severe head trama, main character write notes, takes Polaroids, has tattoos body to remind him of the incident, main character is looking for killer....
And what I've written above -- Sanjay is a rich businessman, flashbook are mostly narrated with documentation (diaries, newspaper, someone telling Nayantara and Jiah want happened to Asin & Surya/Aamir), several crooked cops are in the film but doesn't know much about Sanjay's condition, Sanjay lost his love to goons who wanted her dead because of her knowledge of them, villian is revealed....
What else is similar between the two Ghajinis?
- The beginning, especially before intermission is a copy frame-by-frame
- Most of the songs come in the same order
- There's a medical student who wants to study about Sanjay's condition
- Asin and Pradeep Rawat play in both the Tamil and Hindi versions
Why do I think the Hindi version better? First, Aamir changed the second half and changed what I didn't really like in the Tamil version.
Read with caution, I warn you, spoilers between the two Ghajinis below.
In the Tamil version, the medical student played Nayantara was so freaking annoying. Therefore, I enjoyed Jiah in the Hindi veresion and felt she did the best that she could.
In the Tamil version, Nayantara meets Surya later on in the film while in the Hindi version, Jiah meets Aamir earlier in the film.
In the Hindi version, both ladies - Asin & Jiah's songs were shorter. It's ashame since Jiah was pleasing to the eyes to do an item song and looked hot while it was cringe time when Nayantara was there.
There was a bloody fight scene in the Tamil version and was deleted from the Hindi version.
In the Hindi version, Aamir clicks a picture of Ghajini before Jiah's item number, "Lato." I wanted to point out (Thanks Darshit!!) for telling me it was Pradeep Rawat as Salman's friend in Baaghi. Nothing was like the for Tamil version.
In the Tamil version, there is a song sequence when Asin is in the train talking to Surya and they both can't wait to see each other again and image being with each other - the "Rangola" song. In the Hindi version, there is no breakout song like that. Aamir and Asin parts way -- there is background music - "Kaise Mujhe" song.
In the Tamil version, the scene when the villians were in Asin's apartment, it was Surya who calls Asin up to see where she was at and that lead the villians know where she was. In the Hindi version, none of that happened.
In the Hindi version, the villian's name is Ghajini. However, in the Tamil version, no one is named Ghajini.
In the Tamil version, the villian had a twin. Thank goodness that part was taken out in the Hindi version.
In the Hindi version, the climax fight scene was fought at the villian's location. Thank goodness it was changed in the Hindi version because in the Tamil version, it was fought at a girls' hostel where Nayantara stay. It was very violent and at least one girl got shot at that scene.
In the Hindi version, Aamir takes revenge on Ghajini by hitting him with the iron rod that was used on him. I loooove that because in the Tamil version, none of that happens. What comes around comes back around!
In the Tamil version, I didn't feel that the movie left me with closure, it wasn't complete. After Surya kills the villian, he is sitting in car staring a cute, little girl and smiles. That's it.
In the Hindi version, I felt there was closure. Jiah gives Aamir a gift and it was the footstone that Aamir and Asin had their footprints on when they entered their home together. In the Tamil version, we never see what happens to it. In addition, in the Hindi version, Aamir sees Asin again. I love that. I felt complete after watching the film. I love a happy ending.
Besides the Memento-ness that it took mentioned above -- Main character suffers from short-term memory loss due to severe head trama, main character write notes, takes Polaroids, has tattoos body to remind him of the incident, main character is looking for killer....
And what I've written above -- Sanjay is a rich businessman, flashbook are mostly narrated with documentation (diaries, newspaper, someone telling Nayantara and Jiah want happened to Asin & Surya/Aamir), several crooked cops are in the film but doesn't know much about Sanjay's condition, Sanjay lost his love to goons who wanted her dead because of her knowledge of them, villian is revealed....
What else is similar between the two Ghajinis?
- The beginning, especially before intermission is a copy frame-by-frame
- Most of the songs come in the same order
- There's a medical student who wants to study about Sanjay's condition
- Asin and Pradeep Rawat play in both the Tamil and Hindi versions
Why do I think the Hindi version better? First, Aamir changed the second half and changed what I didn't really like in the Tamil version.
Read with caution, I warn you, spoilers between the two Ghajinis below.
In the Tamil version, the medical student played Nayantara was so freaking annoying. Therefore, I enjoyed Jiah in the Hindi veresion and felt she did the best that she could.
In the Tamil version, Nayantara meets Surya later on in the film while in the Hindi version, Jiah meets Aamir earlier in the film.
In the Hindi version, both ladies - Asin & Jiah's songs were shorter. It's ashame since Jiah was pleasing to the eyes to do an item song and looked hot while it was cringe time when Nayantara was there.
There was a bloody fight scene in the Tamil version and was deleted from the Hindi version.
In the Hindi version, Aamir clicks a picture of Ghajini before Jiah's item number, "Lato." I wanted to point out (Thanks Darshit!!) for telling me it was Pradeep Rawat as Salman's friend in Baaghi. Nothing was like the for Tamil version.
In the Tamil version, there is a song sequence when Asin is in the train talking to Surya and they both can't wait to see each other again and image being with each other - the "Rangola" song. In the Hindi version, there is no breakout song like that. Aamir and Asin parts way -- there is background music - "Kaise Mujhe" song.
In the Tamil version, the scene when the villians were in Asin's apartment, it was Surya who calls Asin up to see where she was at and that lead the villians know where she was. In the Hindi version, none of that happened.
In the Hindi version, the villian's name is Ghajini. However, in the Tamil version, no one is named Ghajini.
In the Tamil version, the villian had a twin. Thank goodness that part was taken out in the Hindi version.
In the Hindi version, the climax fight scene was fought at the villian's location. Thank goodness it was changed in the Hindi version because in the Tamil version, it was fought at a girls' hostel where Nayantara stay. It was very violent and at least one girl got shot at that scene.
In the Hindi version, Aamir takes revenge on Ghajini by hitting him with the iron rod that was used on him. I loooove that because in the Tamil version, none of that happens. What comes around comes back around!
In the Tamil version, I didn't feel that the movie left me with closure, it wasn't complete. After Surya kills the villian, he is sitting in car staring a cute, little girl and smiles. That's it.
In the Hindi version, I felt there was closure. Jiah gives Aamir a gift and it was the footstone that Aamir and Asin had their footprints on when they entered their home together. In the Tamil version, we never see what happens to it. In addition, in the Hindi version, Aamir sees Asin again. I love that. I felt complete after watching the film. I love a happy ending.
Because of all these differences, these are the reasons why I prefer the Hindi version of Ghajini. Ghajini (Tamil) vs Ghajini (Hindi) is definitely a remake with some differences, not Memento vs Ghajini.
