Ghulam-Nobody plays the tapori better

Munna Strikes back




After giving a knockout performance in Rangeela as the street tapori, Aamir khan once again enthralled as a tapori in GHULAM which released in 1998. However, this tapori was so different from the one in Rangeela. Playing the character of Siddharth Marathe, nicknamed Siddhu, a mumbai tapori who is also a boxer, fights his way out against the crime lord in Mumbai. It is also the story of self exploration of Siddhu, of his past, his relationship with his brother and choosing the right path in life. With the pitch perfect portrayal, Aamir khan once again proved that no one, absolutely no one can play the tapori better than him. But, then Ghulam had much more to it. It had the adorable Rani Mukherjee paired along with Aamir khan, it had the ferocious Sharad Saxena as the crime lord in the best role of his career, the brilliant Rajit Kapoor playing as big brother to Aamir khan and Deepak Tijori in a fine cameo.


When Aamir khan was asked in an interview, why he agreed to play a tapori in Ghulam again after Rangeela, his answer was simple. He looks at every film in isolation. Just because the character is a tapori, does not mean that the character graph and characterisation is similar. He is absolutely right. Ghulam is so much different from Rangeela. Rangeela was a love story whereas Ghulam is an action movie basically. The tapori character of Aamir khan was also a boxer, so it required him to do some fist fights. To make the character look different from the one in Rangeela, Aamir khan took extra care in his body language, dressing too. You can see stark difference in the clothing, body language between the two taporis. If you are an Aamir khan fan, you would agree that Ghulam would be one of his best looks ever. With that knuckle duster in his fingers, leather jacket and swag of the tapori, Aamir khan just killed it. 


Ghulam was a run away hit at the box office and one of the biggest hits of the year, especially in the Mumbai region. It had super hit music with the highlight being "Aati kya Khandala". The song, sung by Aamir khan himself was the biggest hit of the year. Aamir khan as a singer put his heart and soul into it. But, the best thing about Ghulam is the performances. Watch out for the scenes of Aamir khan with his brother (they are the best ones in the movie). If you have an elder brother or a younger one at home, you are bound to identify with it. The scene at the water front where the brothers often chat, the scene when Aamir khan simply looks at his brother when he puts a gun at him, the final showdown with Sharat Saxena and of course his chemistry with Rani mukherjee. 

GHULAM is one of my most favorite movies of Aamir khan, having watched it umpteen times and still do not get tired of it. It also has a memorable line which actually Aamir khan followed in his life and also career "Lehron ke sath to koi bhi teer leta hain par asli insaan woh hai jo lehron ko cheer ke aage badhta hain"... meaning "Anyone can swim with the tide, but the greatest of men swim against the tide and move forward". This line is aptly written for Aamir khan. Yes, he swims against the tide and still rules the roost. The "Ghulam" is actually the ace of Bollywood.