Khan-tastic!

So how do you walk into a movie where the lead hero is playing a role that is completely different from what he is known for? How do you lower your expectations when you know the pairing on screen is one of the most successful ones and is back after nine years? How do you deal with all the drama that is happening outside the theatres to ensure you don’t see this film. Well.. you allow yourself to be led by the actors on screen. Hopefully it will work, I thought to myself as I walked in to watch the highly anticipated My Name is Khan.

Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, leads a very innocent life. He says what he thinks, believes what he sees. Everything is good or bad in his eyes – there is no in between. After his mother's (Zarina Wahab) death, Khan moves to the US where his younger brother (Jimmy Shergill) lives in San Francisco. Working as a salesman in his brother’s company, Rizwan visits Mandira’s (Kajol) salon and that marks the start of their love story. They get married and everything seems hunky dory till 9/11 comes knocking at their door. Till date religion boundaries had no space in their love story but post 9/11 circumstances change and Rizwan is left to explain his religion and what it stands for to his wife and to his country. And so Rizwan sets out on a journey that would be impossible for you and me but not to the man who believes in always setting things right. He travels across cities and states to fulfil a promise that is asked from him and his love for Mandira.

My Name is Khan is a love story at its very basic level but the maestro of love stories puts it out in a way that is least like him. Karan’s portrayal of a love story between Mandira and Rizwan that is mature yet young, the growing attachment between Rizwan and Mandira’s son from a previous marriage is gradual and yet touching, Sonia Jehan’s performance as Jimmy Shergill’s wife is small but yet makes a mark. Kajol is brilliant and this time her eyes do a lot more tlaking than her words. Watch out for the change in emotions reflected so beautifully in her eyes as the film goes through its turmoils. The screenplay clearly shows that both Shibani Bathija and Karan Johar have done their research and done it well. You can see that in SRK’s mannerisms and in the bigger picture.

Yes there are moments in the film like when Rizwan returns to save a city drowning in a flood that make this film from being short of perfect. But a certain amount of creative leverage should be given to a director – especially when he is dealing with a film that not only deals with a disorder about which the world knows very little but also have many layers to it thereby not making it a simple love story.

But the true credit of the film goes to only one person – Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh Khan carries the story entirely on his shoulder without any crutches of make-up and prosthetics, his signature lover boy image left at the door along with the designer clothes or larger than life dialogues. And interestingly I think that’s what makes MNIK work. Khan makes me believe you can have a disorder and yet live a life that’s normal. Khan makes me believe that it’s either good or bad and that is there is not either way to live your life. Khan makes me believe it pays to be good. But above all Khan makes me believe that it is okay to believe!

Harshita Kohli/Hill Road Media