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Pooja Entertainment and Good Co.’s Ganapath (UA) is the story of a dystopian world. The have-nots are being exploited by the rich since ages. Dalapati (Amitabh Bachchan) predicts that one person — Ganapath — will be born to fight for the rights of the poor and downtrodden. Dalapati has a son, Shiva (Rashin Rehman), and daughter-in-law, Meera (Gauhar Khan).
Guddu (Tiger Shroff) works as an assistant to John (Zaid Bakri), the rich man who conducts boxing matches and makes tons of money by rigging them. Guddu picks up boxing experts from the population of the poor and thereby helps John in his nefarious activities. One day, John asks his men to eliminate Guddu but the latter escapes. He comes to the have-nots and falls head over heels in love with Jassi (Kriti Sanon) who also loves him. An incident prompts Guddu to train himself under Shiva in all kinds of fights. The tough Guddu, it is felt, will fight for the downtrodden, but he soon returns to John, dashing to the ground all hopes of the poor people that Guddu would prove to be the Ganapath of Dalapati’s prophecy, who would fight for them.
What happens finally? Does Guddu prove to be Dalapati’s Ganapath who snatches from the rich the rights of the poor? If so, how? If not, who is Ganapath?
Vikas Bahl has written such a ridiculous story that the audience can only scoff at his concept and thought process. His screenplay is terribly weak as the drama completely and wholly fails to involve or engage the viewers. First and foremost, the whole concept of a dystopian world has been written in such a kiddish manner that the audience would not even believe it. Just by showing computer-generated silver buildings, some psychedelic lights and dazzling sets would anything but transport the viewers into a world of the rich. There is absolutely no logic at work. Why Kaizaad (Jameel Khan), who works for John, spares Guddu and asks him to return to the world of the poor people is not explained. Why Jassi falls in love with Guddu is also not explained. Why John takes Guddu back into his team is simply not clear. All in all, the screenplay is one of such convenience that it is impossible — repeat, impossible — for anyone to get involved in the drama. It would not be wrong to say that given his outlandish concept, Bahl has written such a hackneyed screenplay that it could qualify to be one of the worst written in a long time. Romance is conspicuous by its absence. Comedy is feeble while emotions don’t touch the heart. All in all, the entire drama is so silly that it tests the audience’s patience. Vikas Bahl’s dialogues are as substandard as his story and screenplay.
Amitabh Bachchan has a brief role and is okay as Dalapati (in an outlandish get-up). It is a pity to see the genius of a great actor like him being wasted in a terrible enterprise like this. Tiger Shroff acts poorly and tries to camouflage his lack of talent with his super-fantastic action and stunts and brilliant dancing. But, of course, the public feels cheated. Kriti Sanon hardly gets any scope and so even her efforts to be earnest go unrewarded. Rashin Rehman seems to be clueless — like the audience — about what he is supposed to do in the role of Shiva. Zaid Bakri is hardly impressive as John. Girish Kulkarni, in the role of Senior, is like a glorified junior artiste because he does nothing substantive. That’s sad, considering that he is a fine actor. Jameel Khan is okay as Kaizaad. Elli AvrRam (as Dimple), Gauhar Khan (in a special appearance as Meera), Shruthy Menon (as Shaina), Piyush Lalwani (as Afran), Armaan Khera (as Draka), Faraz Khan (as Thabeel) and Amrit Raj (as Ranga) lend routine support. Others pass muster.
Vikas Bahl’s direction is dull — and that’s putting it mildly. He is probably under the mistaken impression that psychedelic sets and fancy lights alone make a futuristic film! Music (Amit Trivedi for ‘Lafda kar le’; Vishal Mishra for ‘Jai Ganesha’; Dr. Zeus for ‘Time to shine’) is ordinary. Lyrics (Swanand Kirkire for ‘Lafda kar le’; Akshay Tripathy for ‘Jai Ganesha’; Priceless, Dr. Zeus, Roach Killa and Ikka for ‘Time to shine’; and Priya Saraiya for ‘Hum aaye hain’ and ‘Saara zamana’) are okay. Song picturisations (Piyush-Shazia for ‘Hum aaye hain’ and ‘Saara zamana’; Vijay Ganguly for ‘Lafda kar le’; and Rahul Shetty for ‘Jai Ganesha’) are eye-filling. Salim-Sulaiman’s background music is so-so. Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti’s cinematography is very nice. Action and stunt scenes (Tim Man and Vikram Dahiya) are exciting and thrilling. Production designing (by Amit Ray and Subrata Chakrabarty) and art direction (by Pallab Chanda and Pallavi Pethkar) are ordinary. Ritesh Soni’s editing leaves something to be desired.
On the whole, Ganapath will turn out to be a debacle of unimaginable proportions.
Released on 20-10-’23 at Inox (daily 10 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay thru PVR Inox Pictures. Publicity: very good. Opening: disastrous. …….Also released all over. Opening was frighteningly poor everywhere.