Plot:
Raghava (Lawrence) works as a cameraman in a media channel. He is quite scared of ghosts. Nandini (Tapsee) works as a program director in the same channel. The channel which stood invincible till then suddenly drops down to a lower position. As a result, Nandini gets more determined to improve the channel’s ratings. She plans a special programme on ghosts. Nandini choses a remote house near Bheemili Beach and plans to create a fake ghost story surrounding it and film certain episodes on it. She asks Raghava and her team to go to that location. One day, Nandini finds a mangalasutra in the beach and right from then her hardships begin. Very soon she realizes that many ghosts are in search for that particular mangalasutra. Ganga, one of those ghosts enters Nandini’s body and right from them she calls Raghava in a different name called Shiva. Who is Ganga? Who is Shiva? What is the relation between the mangalasutra in these two characters? – forms the rest of the plot.
Performances:
Lawrence- He has little to perform in the film except for the climax episode. He is seen in various attires during the last 20 minutes of the film which was not necessary for the plot. These looked as if to showcase his acting talent but doesn’t help the main storyline in any way.
Tapsee- She tried her best through her acting abilities to instigate fear. It is quite a different role for her. She looks quite glamorous and gained the hearts of youth in one romantic song.
Nitya Menon- Her role is quite limited but she leaves a lasting impact on the viewer. Nitya’s portrayal as a physically challenged woman will be remembered for many days to come. With her entry , the film gains emotional quotient. In short, there is nothing in flashback except Nitya’s performance.
Kovai Sarala- Her loudness is too hard to tolerate and it is indeed difficult to bear her portrayal as the comedy mom.
Direction:
The basic formula relating to ghost films deals with a character who dies because of few selfish people and how it turns to a ghost and takes revenge. Lawrence, who chose the same formula for the predecessor Kanchana took the same theme once again. While Lawrence touched the empathetic topic of Hisras in Kanchana, here he took the story of Ganga who is a physically challenged woman. This is the thin line between other ghost films and Lawrence’s films. He touches an emotional point in the scenario of ghosts. This aspect was executed perfectly in Kanchana but when it comes to Ganga, it paled down a little bit.
First Half- It progresses on a lighter note and the interval bang occurs with the introduction of ghost.
Second Half- While the first half is quite fast paced and straight to the point, Lawrence takes unnecessary time to show up the flashback episode. The actual suspense has been sustained till the end and only then the real story is revealed. In one way that is better because if the story is known before hand, the film would lose its grip. However, Lawrence’s narrative doesn’t go in breathtaking manner this time. Ganga’s ghost first enters Tapsee, then Kovai Sarala and a doctor which leads to unnecessary forced comedy. The scenes involving Lawrence and Kovai Sarala has too much of Tamil influence and it is difficult to tolerate.
Merits:
Nitya Menon's Acting
Good Emotional Quotient
Demerits:
Kanchana Hangover
Poor Comedy
Music:
Thaman’s songs are quite forgettable. In fact, the songs are biggest drawback for the film. However, the background music is very good.
Technical Aspects:
The VFX is quite sub standard and there are scenes where graphics were forced into the film.
Verdict:
Ganga is an out and out mass entertainer. It would be appreciated by masses well. If one can bear with the strong Tamil flavor they can go for it. However, people who are expecting a decent film can conveniently avoid it.