My Name is Khan – And I am not a Terrorist!

Website:http://www.mynameiskhanthefilm.com/
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Jimmy Shergill, Soneya Jahan, Zarina  Wahab , Katie Keane, Kenton Duty, Benny Nieves, Christopher B Duncan, Parvin Dabas, Arjun Mathur, Sugandha Garg, Tanay Cheda, Navneet Nishan, Sheetal Menon, Arjan Aujla, Yuvaan Makar, Jennifer Echols, Adrian Kali Turner, Michael Arnold, Dominic Renda
Producer: Hiroo Yash Johar, Gauri Khan
Director: Karan Johar
Story and Screenplay: Shibani Bhatija
      Cinematography     Ravi K. Chandran
Genre:Drama
Rating: ***3/4 ( 3.75 )

(The aim and intention of my reviews is to critique and recommend while not revealing the whole story to enjoy the movie when seen. But minor details have been divulged for a proper review!)

Many movies have been made both in Hollywood and Bollywood about 9/11 and its aftermath.  But this is one movie I was glad to see, which touched the positive, good, virtuous, honest and humane side of life of Indian & Asian Diaspora and Muslims living in USA.

Starring Sharukh Khan and Kajol, this movie has excellent performances by both. Sharukh Khan is Rizwan Khan (K-H-A-N spelled from the epiglottis not KAAN which he often announces) a simple and ‘good’ person with Aspergers syndrome. His uncomplicated understanding of life, his be-good principles, his honest philosophies ingrained from the simple teachings of his mother Razia ( Zarina Wahab), make him this pure and genuine character. Though the character is a combination of Forrest Grump and Rain Man, the bollywoodisation of the character and the story and surprisingly great performance ( not overacting) by Sharukh Khan makes it worth watching.

Kajol, in her comeback role after a hiatus after marriage and kid has a mature yet glamorous role for herself. She has a dramatic and emotional role as hairdresser, single mother and Khans wife battling with discrimination and social prejudice after 9/11 . 

Though this movie unfolds as Khan’s quest to meet the president of USA to narrate the unfair discriminations after 9/11, it unfurls the story of his childhood, simple philosophies of life learnt from his worldly wise secular mom; his immigration to the USA and his supportive sister-in-law ( Sonya Jehan),a psychology professor, who understands Aspergers Syndrome, and helps him overcome his deficiencies.

 The movie progresses  to a  love story , his flirting with Mandira (Kajol), a hairdresser and single mom, his marriage with her, his American dream of happy prosperous life in beautiful San Francisco with good friends and neighbors;  the changed dynamics of society after 9/11, the racial discrimination, the victimization of Muslims and Indians, the profiling at airports, suspected by  homeland security ; the hitch hiking across United States, repairing and fixing things, doing good even in  Katrina like catastrophes; and finally  creating a positive image of many a decent  immigrant or  Indian or  Muslim or  Asian ……

Karan Johar has to be applauded for his direction, though the story is not unique, the screenplay and direction gives it an interesting angle.  Inspite of the  Katrina detour and some exaggerations and  some excessive melodrama later in the movie, the total experience of ‘we shall overcome…. some day… ‘ gives this movie an edge over the other 9/11 context movies.

 The cinematography by Ravi Chandran is amazing, showcasing the picturesque San Francisco city, besides many scenic locales across US.  The lead pair of Sharukh and Kajol have excellent performances accompanied by decent performances by  Zarina Wahab as mother Razia and  Sonya Jehan as  sis-in-law Prof. Hasina. The kids Yuvaan as Sameer( Mandira son) and Tanay as young Rizwan have good performances too.

 Before I end, I will have to mention a thought which crossed my mind when leaving the movie theatre. I bet all the people I saw at the theatre- my Indian and Pakistani friends I watched the movie with, the acquaintances I saw buying tickets earlier at the ticket window, some in hijab or scarves, the family friends seated few rows away from us whose last name was ‘Khan’, besides the large audience, all must have walked out pleased like me with the positive image the movie portrayed!