Ghajinikanth movie review: A film that entertains only in parts

Director: Santhosh P Jayakumar

Cast: Arya, Sayeesha, Satish, Sampath, Naren

Santhosh P Jayakumar who is known for his adult content themes with his earlier movies Hara Hara Mahadevaki and Iruttu Arayil Murattu Kutthu has shed his image and tried to prove that he can also make other genres, although Ghajinikanth is a remake of Telugu film Bhale Bhale Magadivoy. Did the comedy caper live up to the expectations?

References to Rajinikanth and Suriya starrer Ghajini begin at the very start of the film. Our protagonist Rajinikanth (Arya) is born in a movie theater when a couple (Aadukalam Naren and Uma Padmanabhan) is watching their favorite thalaivar Rajinikanth’s film Dharmatthin Thalaivan. And the baby for no reasons catches one of the traits – mild memory loss and forgetfulness of Rajini’s character in the film. Suriya plays a person with short-term memory loss in Ghajini. Anyone can sum up one and one at this point and relate the title.

With this hitch, it becomes a worry for Rajini’s parents to find a suitable girl for him. Meanwhile, Rajini meets a girl Vandhana (Sayeesha) who helps children to cross the road and the clichéd stuff happens instantly. Yes, it was love at first sight. Rajini starts wooing Vandhana and every time he gets into trouble because of his forgetful nature, he lies to her and escapes the situation. Later when he comes to know that Vandhana is the daughter of Sathyamoorrthy (Sampath) who has earlier rejected him for his absent mindedness, what follows is a series of comic (!) situations. And there’s also Ajay (Lingesh), a scheming cop who wants to marry Vandhana. How Rajini with his friends (Satish and Karunakaran) solves the problems and gets Vandhana forms the rest.

Arya with his cool and casual performance pulls through most part of the film, except the lengthy emotional outburst towards the climax. Sayeesha is aptly cast as a kuchupudi dancer and she proves her dancing prowess too. She also looks pretty! But beyond that she has no scope to perform. After a long time, Satish’s one-liners work well. Naren who is normally seen in serious/villainy roles has shined in humor as well.

While the first half meanders and moves at a slow pace, the jokes are more miss than hit. Post intermission, the momentum picks up. The climax fight feels forced and uninteresting. Ballu’s cinematography and Bala Murali Balu’s music are just about adequate. On the whole, a film that entertains only in parts.