My Name is Khan-Journey of a Philanthropist

In the year 2010,  we saw some projects of some big directors like Karan Johar, Maniratnam, Prakash Jha, Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I think that My Name is Khan is one of those few movies that has something special in it which was not discovered in the past. The feeling of humanity is at its maximum in the movie.Seemingly inspired by Forest Gump, the movie is based upon the hatred and bias towards the Muslim community because of the terrorist activities by certain groups, especially in USA after the unforgettable 9/11.

The movie very correctly emphasizes that a person should be assessed as a good person or a bad person only whatsoever religion he may be practicing. Why should a good and kind-hearted Muslim and his family face the hatred and discard when they are in no way connected to the anti-human deeds of the Muslim terrorists. Their religion is their identification and their faith. If they are good, loving and kind towards the other communities and the mankind in general, why should they suffer?

However Karan Johar could not find himself to underscore this point through a normal Muslim individual. For his cinematic convenience, he has created the character of Rizwan who is suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. He is naive and innocent like a child and hence believable with all his mannerisms. After losing the little child who was born to his Hindu wife through her earlier marriage, in the post 9/11 hatred in USA towards Muslims, Rizwan has to face the brunt of his beloved wife who feels that she is a loving wife later, first a grief-stricken mother. Challenged by the discarding wife to meet the US president and convince him that despite being a Muslim, he is not a terrorist, Rizwan starts a journey covering many people and events full of sensitivity. In typical bollywood style, Rizwan ultimately succeeds in meeting not George Bush (to meet whom he had started the journey) but Barack Obama. Reason ! The US gets a new president, an Afro-American one, till Rizwan’s journey comes to conclusion. Obama (the actor and not the real Obama) tells him - Your name is Khan and you are not a terrorist. And Rizwan Khan is happy to have achieved his objective and quite naturally his lost love.

The treatment of the story by Karan Johar is highly sensitive. The character of Shahrukh Khan is simply lovable courtesy his marvelous acting through which he has put himself aside completely and attained the soul of Rizwan Khan, a golden hearted person suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. However, some incidents are unnecessary as well as making the look of the movie a bit unreal. The easier path has been followed by the director to bring his movie towards the desired complex. However for the first time, a director has shown the courage to depict a Muslim showing mirror to Muslims themselves by quoting Kuran Sharif and the Muslim legends like Hazrat Ibrahim, warning them to beware of the Satan (the misguiding Muslim leaders in the modern sense).

Shahrukh Khan has a depth in this performance that can impress even those people who were earlier his critics. It is simply a gem of performance by him. Kajol comes with his evtergreen natural performance. But the complete supporting cast deserves a special mention for the cameos by different characters making a greater part of the movie’s ultimate impact upon the viewers. Zarina Wahab, Sonya Jahan, Jimmi Shergill, Vinay Pathak, to name a few. The child artists have also done a splendid job. The music is according to the mood of the movie. The art direction and the locations are highly impressive. In my opinion, My Name is Khan is a  thought provoking movie, to say the least.

Definitely the movie contains a divided opinion.But at least the movie deserves an standing ovation of the courage of Karan Johar for taking this large canvas into the big screen. In fact, this one adds to the list of meaningful cinema of Shahrukh Khan after Swades and Chak De India. I hope that in future we will get more of this genre from the duo of Shahrukh Khan-Karan Johar.