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Ghayal Once Again is Sunny Deol's thank you note to fans

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Vinayak Chakravorty
Vinayak ChakravortyFeb 06, 2016 | 17:29

Ghayal Once Again is Sunny Deol's thank you note to fans

Dhishoom! Desi Rambo with "dhai kilo ke haath" is ghayal once again. The growl that made 'em quake is back on the prowl, glaring gaze and flaring nostrils right in place.

Ghayal Once Again is a quaint watch in an almost inadvertent way. Time stands still in Sunny Deol's universe. Two and half decades since he staked his claim as Bollywood's angry action hero with Ghayal, cinematic realities haven't changed for the actor-filmmaker. Ghayal Once Again seems straight out of the '90s in the way it talks of a messiah rising to protect the good against the evil.

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Sunny has chosen to self-direct and write this sequel, and the fact shows he is really serious about reaffirming his brand of stardom, which was a smash hit back in his heyday when Rajkumar Santoshi set the template with Ghayal.

Ajay Mehra took to violence to kill Amrish Puri's Balwant Rai in that first film after the iconic baddie destroyed his family. Twenty-six years later Ajay is out of jail having served his jail term, and now owns a TV channel. This sequel puts him is a situation where he ends up fighting for the righteous.

It is a script where black is black and white is white, penned by Sunny himself. The film seems disinterested in probing deep to understand complexities that may define the current socio-political scenario. Caught in a time warp, the screenplay was obviously fashioned to showcase Sunny's basic skills at playing out the angry violent do-gooder.

A year shy of 60, though, Sunny still has what it takes. Soaked in lung power and brandishing the vintage big-fisted verve, he has essentially served a thank-you note to hardcore fans of his image. Ghayal Once Again works strictly for the fans.

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For this reason perhaps, Sunny sticks to old ideas while shaping his story. Ajay Mehra is exactly what he would be all these years later. The trigger point to set off the violence and drama this time comes by way of four youngsters. In a repeat of what Ajay's elder brother (Raj Babbar) did in the first film, the four college kids end up drawing ire of the archetypal rich, powerful villain (Narendra Jha). They capture on a video as the mighty baddie's son kills a man.

The rich bad man is baying for their blood now, and who should play messiah to the young quartet but Sunny Deol, apna desi Bruce Willis.

Since many of the current generation were not even born when Ghayal released, the sequel, rehashing all that worked then, would seem like a loud outlandish toast to Bollywood masala.

Predictably, the film accommodates larger-than-life characters for its hero and villain. It works for Sunny, while Narendra Jha, relishing big break in a commercial set-up, brings alive the film's central band man impressively. Om Puri, who returns as ACP D'Souza, is adequate Ghayal Once Again is for those who dig retro action. It is a feast if you love the Sunny Deol brand.

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(Courtesy of Mail Today.)

Last updated: February 06, 2016 | 17:29
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