So, yes, Ghulam is decent entertainment - an action-packed romantic musical with some story which resembles other stories. But it's fun, really fun actually. The film's entire feel is totally westernised, particularly in view of the overall demeanor of the gang, their clothing and sense of style, which is completely derivative of American culture, as are many other elements in the film. I found it amusing, although I know that such influences in India did exist back then although definitely not to such a large extent. Thankfully today Indian filmmakers show India's own cultural richness and weight (a la Gully Boy) - its colour and stark individuality did not exist in this film, a lot due to the common belief back at that time that Indian audiences want escapist cinema which will show a world far removed from their reality. In this regard, director Vikram Bhatt does his best, and he is greatly aided by the film's action and stunts, which are the most impressive in the film.
But then Ghulam is really an enjoyable watch. Its youthful spirit is really affecting, and it is very well shot for the time. The train race scene is obviously very famous today and it was really quite good, although the other one where the guy climbs up the building to enter the girl's room is not very credible. The romantic portions are still pretty nice, and the music is fun and catchy, obviously culminating in the popular "Aati Kya Khandala" number, which is particularly entertaining. Aamir Khan's dedication to his roles showed already then, and he's very good here. I'm not a particular fan of his acting talent per se, considering him often too clean and lacking in spontaneity, but his serious approach to his craft (when it's not too much) works well for him, and this film is a good example. Rani Mukherjee plays more or less a bimbo of sorts - she is very pretty but her voice is dubbed and it's annoying. Ghulam is nothing great but it is consistently entertaining, anyway.
