Ghatak: Lethal

Of all the Indian action films I have seen recently, including Sholay, China Gate, and Bichoo, I would have to place Ghattak at the top. There may be others but I have yet to see them. The action and fight scenes are very well done and realistic which shows that considerable effort went into making them just right. Too often, we see ultra special effects try to make up for sloppy editing and slip-shod action. Nothing looked fakey in Ghattak which enhanced the overall effect and proved that Bollywood can make decent action flics after all. Ghattak was also not marred by feeble comedy attempts and the songs blended well with the action so that nothing slowed the pace of the film.

Sunny Deol has been my hero for a very long time, and I consider Ghatak to be the film in which he plays his most intense and endearing role.

Plot: Shambu Nath (played the late Amrish Puri) lives in Banaras. Shambu Nath has been coughing up blood for some time, so his adopted son Kashi Nath (Sunny Deol), wants him to go and visit his son Shiv Nath (K.K Raina) who has married and moved (without his father's consent) to the outskirts of a big city and has setup a small business of a bookstore there.

They arrive, and are welcomed by Shiv. Shiv arranges for a medical checkup at a hospital for Shambu.

One day it so happens that Kashi defends a helpless woman (played by Ila Arun) against some thugs. This sparks off a raging war between the leader of the thugs called Katya played by (Danny Denzongpa).

Will Shambu be cured? Will Kashi prevail against the tyranny of Katya? See the film to find out.

The film is directed by Shree Rajkumar Santoshi who has directed such blockbuster hits like Damini (1993), Ghayal (1990), Pukar (2000), Andaz Apna Apna(1994) and China Gate(1998).

Other notable stars in the film are Om Puri, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Tinnu Annand, Mukesh Rishi, Rohini Hattangadi, and Viju Khote.

Superb outstanding movie by story and acting Sunny deol , dialogues and expression of Sunny deol made reality shown on camera , this movie only superhit basis of Sunny deol acting I think nobody comparable in the bollywood like Sunny deol action and dialogues.

After the grand success of Ghayal and Damini, This was another blockbuster entertainer from Raj Kumar Santoshi, Sunny Deol and Meenakshi. This is one of the best action movies and probably the best action movie of Sunny Deol. The movie begins with Om Puri raising his voice in favour of shopkeepers in his area against illegal occupancy of their land by Katia played by Danny. He gets killed by Katia. Sunny with his father travels to Bombay to his step brother for the treatment of his father. Sunny comes to know the problems of shopkeepers over there and stands with them in getting their land freed from Danny. Unable to get any help from police, he himself fights against Katia.

All the characters have done justice to their roles. Nobody can match charisma of Sunny Deol when it comes to action scenes. He is one of the best action actors ever in the history of Indian cinema. The fighting scenes of Sunny Deol are excellent in the movie. Only Sunny Deol can do justice to such kind of roles.Amrish Puri has played positive role, father of Sunny Deol, in this movie. The chemistry between Sunny and Amrish is the best. There are few emotional scenes between both. When doctor tells Sunny that his father is having cancer, Sunny comes to his father, pretends that his father will be alright and starts weeping in his father's arms. I believe this is the best emotional scene in the movie. Danny is always best when it comes to negative roles.

Meenakshi is as good as usual. Songs are also good though few. "Nigaho Ne Cheda Hai Dil Ka Tarana" is very sweet and melodious song. Item song "Koi Jaye To Le Jaaye" is also very good dance number. There could be room to accommodate one more song.This movie is the must watch for action movie buffs specially Sunny Deol fans.

Ghatak review:

Planned in early '90s with Kamal Haasan in the lead, Ghatak finally made it as a 1996 Diwali release with Sunny Deol spearheading it. Inspite of the delay, Rajkumar Santoshi's stellar execution didn't make the film appear stale at all and the movie became a runaway hit trouncing the multistarrer Sapoot it clashed with and also held well against Aamir Khan- Karisma Kapoor's "smooch" hit Raja Hindustani which released shortly after it.

Sunny Deol was outstanding as the rustic brahmin Kashi who brings his ailing foster father (Amrish Puri, excellent) for treatment to the big bad Mumbai. The suburban 'basti' he lives with his brother is literally terrorized by the local goon Kathiya (Danny Denzongpa, menacing) and his six brothers. "Saat bhai hai hum, ek se ek sher'. Inspiration from Satte Pe Satta, perhaps!!

Kashi gets on the wrong side of Kathiya and bros and in a sordid scene, they literally leash his old father to become a dog in front of the entire neighborhood. "Kutta bana diya babuji ko", Kashi cries loudly in a highly emotional scene.

Unlike Santoshi's earlier hit Ghayal (1990) which was highly sophisticated in nature, Ghatak was ekdum raw and in-your-face kinda movie. The main villain Kathiya was so caricaturish that he keeps a leopoard as a pet and indulges in a bloodsporty wrestling matches to satisfy his hunger for violence. The music was restricted to one good item number- 'Koi jaaye toh le aaye'- picturised on Mamta Kulkarni who looked damn sweet in it.

Meenakshi Seshadri was repeated from Ghayal to play Sunny's heroine but her role wasn't as strong as Santoshi's earlier movies with her. Ghatak was a complete Sunny Deol show and he didn't disappoint the audience at all. The crowd at New Citylight, Matunga where I saw it clapped and cheered everytime he finished off one of Kathiya's brothers. Finally, this is a pure "mardon wali movie" with raw brawn and the dashing Sunny in full form. Chak de Deol!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.