Religious Studies and Philosophy DepartmentUniversity of St. La Salle

Movie: Ghajini

Deadline: April 30, 2012Answer in not more than five (5) sentences.

Name: JESSA B. COSTELO Class Schedule: 10am-12nn

1. Based on the film, what are the similar social realities and sufferings that is present in our Philippine society today?

The film depicted the realities of poverty, child abuse and corruption. Filipinos can tell the tale of how we live our daily lives to experience the bane of humanity. Just like shown in the film, poverty strikes the very soul of our society and silently killing those who fall into its petty trap. This scenario on the other hand, leads those who barely have something to feed their growling stomach to take critical actions for the sake of survival. Just like that kid who put herself in danger to earn a living for her family, it’s a reality that a lot of filipinos now a days are victims of such illegal recruiters who think of nothing but self suffeciency. Ghajini, one who has power and wealth secretes corruption wherever he goes. He uses his influence to exude his plain plan which is to gain more wealth at the expense of the others.

2. To the characters in the film, Give at least three that you can identify yourself with and why?

With plain honesty, I can see myself in the characters of Kalpana, Sunita and Sanjay. It is maybe because like Kalpana, I’m always caught in the act of helping others and I too set my priorities in life. On the other hand, like the character of Sunita, I too in the course of my studies, will go an extra mile to become better, just like the menace she was in when she tried to know the case of Sanjay out of curiosity. Sanjay, who was once a compassionate man trying to pursue the dreams of his father then turned out to be desperately in love with a woman whom he never had the chance to reveal his true identity. Just like him, I also had those times when I can do nothing but to live in pretention, trying to conceal one’s inner self- weak and incomplete. In such shade of disguise, we never intend to become somebody other than ourselves but in the course of the roller coaster ride, we will realize that we haven’t lost our identity. Instead, we ought to say that we found our true self.

3. What are the effects of violence to the society? Do these effects contribute to man’s good nature? Why?

Violence destroys the very root of our society in the sense that it weakens the moralities and humane aspect of those who live within its scope. Neither does it enhance the morals nor the character of people affected by it but it does feed on flesh of ignorance and feast upon the bones of ruthlessness. Man’s good nature does not thrive on violence because violence itself, like a black hole, sucks away

goodness and compassion from the any being directly or indirectly exposed to it. Ferocity can destroy relationships and it can even be considered as a bane. 4. How did the power of love affect the lives of the character in the movie?

Explain.

If there is such a term which should be defined as absolute, mystical and fortuitous, it would be no other than love. It is evidently displayed in the movie how this term turned the world of lovers Sanjay and Kalpana up-side-down. How love sprung between two contrasting worlds, was a paradox captured in pure artistic filming. Love in its entirety, even moved the heart of Sanjay to act against his character of compassion, intelligence and morale, and turned him into a savage monster yearning for revenge over the untimely death of his beloved. Kalpana, the woman who is tactlessly silly but irresistibly of good charm and character, managed to transform the workaholic personality of Sanjay into a loving and caring being towards someone whom he had no knowledge of existence at the beginning. Ghajini, who is no less than a vicious monster inside, was responsible for giving a tragic ending to a colorful love story. Eventually, leading to the emotional and spiritual decay of Sanjay, who is a trademark for someone who loved that much.

5. What is the strongest feeling of anger you have encountered in your life as a student? How did you deal with it? Or what have you done to conquer or overcome it?

Being someone who graciously has a lining of patience and self-restraint, I often find myself standing on the grounds of forgiveness and considerate acceptance. But, human as I am, I cannot do away with the fact that at some point in time, some things just get to our nerves, enraging the sleeping lion inside of us. The strongest feeling of anger on my record was that moment when I knew of the fact of deceit and conspiracy happening inside our high school student council. I could go on for details but nevertheless, I’ve already cast away everything into the woods of forgetfulness and the lore of moving-on. As a matter of fact, I never held on over grudge and revenge because God works his way in me, and indeed His plans were far better than what I could’ve imagined in reality. I realized in the end that when He does not give you something you dearly want, it is because He plans to give you something better.