My Name Is Khan

The eventful day of 9/11 is still very fresh in people’s mind, when America was attacked by terrorists, killing more than three-thousand people. The aftermath of the events led America to wage two battles--in Iraq and Afghanistan--in an effort to quell terrorism. It was a game-changing event impacting the world we live in. With the hope to make American safe and to catch future terrorists, new security measures were implemented like wiretapping, racial profiling, the Patriot Act, and torture--against a fierce political outcry that deemed these measure unconstitutional. One can argue if the new measures have actually made America safer, but one thing has become increasing clear--the new techniques have demonized the moderate Muslim population. More so, the 9/11 terrorist attack has divided the entire nation based on religion, and it has lead to a questioning of the rights of freedom of speech as constituted by our founding fathers.  

The post-9/11 era has produced several Hollywood movies like Paul Greengrass’s “United 93” (2006) and Oliver Stone’s “World Trade Center” (2006) that effectively depict the tension before and after the 9/11 attacks. From Bollywood, we have Bhatt’s “Dhoka” (2007) and Kabir Khan’s “New York” (2009). However, there is still a lack of movies on this event that deal with the psychological damage and trauma caused to the families impacted directly or indirectly by the 9/11 attacks. Karan Johar’s “My Name Is Khan” at least attempts to present us with emotional consequences, changing people’s attitudes and religious intolerance prominent in the post-9/11 world. Unlike other Bollywood movies, “My Name Is Khan” is not a boy-meets-girl story; it is a story of a couple torn apart as a consequence of the 9/11 events. The film was a success in India, but in the overseas market, it became the highest-grossing Bollywood movie ever. Certainly, with the central theme of the 9/11 event, the film connects more to the overseas audience.

Even before the movie was released in India and in the U.S., the film’s lead actor, Shah Rukh Khan, was a subject of intense backlash by a Hindu Nationalist Party called Shiv Sena. He commented that Pakistani cricket players should be allowed to participate in the money-generating cricket competition popularly known as the India Premier League (IPL). The party’s stance led to an eruption of semi riots in Mumbai (a Western City in India), resulting in stoppages of the film’s screenings in some theaters. Later, in early 2009, Khan was detained at Newark Airport for intense questioning after his name appeared in the no-fly list. Some call this event a stunt by the filmmakers while others call it a mere coincidence; whatever was the case, “My Name Is Khan” generated enough media buzz for the aforementioned events.

Shah Rukh Khan plays Rizwan Khan, who is suffering from a form of autism called Asperger syndrome. He lives in Mumbai with his mother, Razia (Zarina Wahab), and a younger brother, Zakir Khan (Jimmy Shergill). Because of Rizwan’s disability, Razia goes above and beyond to take care of Rizwan and in the process ignores Zakir. Zakir resents his mother’s love for Rizwan, and in spite of his resentment over the years, he sponsors Rizwan to come to the U.S. Upon his arrival in the U.S., Rizwan meets a hairdresser, Madira (Kajol), and they soon marry. Following the 9/11 attacks, Khan’s family begins to experience racial prejudices against them. Later, a ghastly event influences their lives. Madira holds Rizwan accountable and in anger asks him to tell the President of the U.S. that he is not a terrorist. Thereafter begins Riwan’s journey through the U.S. with the hope of meeting the President.

Following the footsteps of other Bollywood movies, “My Name is Khan” is entirely focused on its main lead actor, Shah Rukh Khan. From the opening interrogation scene, Khan’s performance is genuine and touching. In the past, his performances adhered to a template: same style of dialogue delivery, facial expressions, and romantic clichés associated to his characters. The template-driven acting structure made him a superstar, and he became an actor later on. Even so, the Indian audience like the style and persona Khan displays on the screen--acting is not even the criteria for their enjoyment.

But here, the complexity of an autistic character brings the best out of him; Riwan’s behavior represents limited cognitive ability, and yet he has several special skills. Of course, Rizwan is happy when he is functioning to the best of his abilities, but the Asperger syndrome renders his social interaction difficult. There is a definite set of patterns exhibited by patients suffering from Asperger syndrome, and Khan convincingly displays those. Khan’s best performing moments are when he is on screen with his younger brother and early on in the film. Even though Khan’s performance may be his best so far, it still will be criticized for two reasons: a lack of truly lifelike character and Rizwan’s character resembling too much Dustin Hoffman’s performance in “Rain Man.” Moreover, Khan’s acting is by no means an example of method acting; he is not fully immersed in the main character and his condition. For viewers familiar with “Rain Man,” Khan’s exhibition of an autistic adult and his mannerisms will draw criticism; however, if looked at as a single performance in isolation, his acting merits some attention.

Recently, a Florida Pastor, Terry Jones, grabbed unwanted media attention for his Koran-burning stunt, in an effort to block the planned construction of a Muslim Center close to the WTC site; he denounced the Koran because he believed the Koran preaches violence. Mentioning this is important since “My Name Is Khan” brings to light the compassionate teachings inscribed in the Koran. Early on, Rizwan learns from his mother how is to be nice to people, even if they are being difficult. Then, on his journey, he spreads the message of love through generosity and help to the needy. As a good Muslim, he also donates part of his hard-earned money to a charity cause. With all the confusion surrounding the belief system of moderate and radical Muslims, a scene later addresses this aspect. Rizwan meets a group of Muslims in a mosque, a group who are apparently masterminding their next violent act; they have their own interpretation of the teachings in the Koran. The ensuing discussion exposes a disparity between radical and moderate Muslims, and that not all Muslims are radicals in their religious beliefs. Indeed, these segments clearly address the misconceptions surrounding Islam, and that being Muslim does not equate to being a terrorist.

Ravi Chandra’s photography is brilliant as it captures the essence of the American landscape. Rizwan’s journey is an important part of the film to recapture his love, but the journey is also a testament of Rizwan’s naivety and stubbornness. In addition, the journey also depicts an Indian Diaspora claiming to be part of the American landscape. The director presents a broader issue of intolerance and violence against the grandeur of the regional landscapes. It is the director’s way of saying that as much as the 9/11 event impacted Americans, it also affected the American minority population.

                                                           

I admired how the screenplay mixes all the complex themes of religion and racial divide, but also keeps us entertained. Nonetheless, there are several issues with the film. The entire story is like a fairy tale, despite its serious tone. Rizwan’s obsession to meet the President of the U.S. and how he unites the entire American public is hardly believable. More so, a minor plot resurfaces later in the movie. After a major adversity befalls Madira and Rizwan, the timeline of subsequent events in the story is implausible. It seems like Rizwan is on the road for almost seven or eight years until the climax where he meets a newly elected President of the U.S. Here, it is easy to draw similarities to Tom Hank’s character in “Forrest Gump.” In addition, the much-talked-about pair up of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol after almost ten years lacks on-screen chemistry and fails to ignite any emotional spark. Finally, the movie can be emotionally manipulative at times, especially in sequences where writers are presenting a social commentary through the eyes of an autistic adult; it’s like saying if an autistic person can understand major issues, then why can’t a normal person feel the same?

Nevertheless, “My Name Is Khan” is a unique take on the post-9/11 world, even if it overwhelms the audience with its unrealistic, fairy-tale approach and sentimentality. What could be worse than Shah Rukh Khan trying to act for once in his career?

Video:

Too bad we don’t get a Blu-ray release of this movie at this time. The film is presented in an anamorphic transfer with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The transfer is clear and smooth with well-balanced colors. The palette comprises vibrant colors as expected from a Bollywood movie.

Audio:

In the audio department, Fox presents a regular 5.1 Dolby Digital Hindi track. The track performs appreciably well. The dialogue is clear and the rear channels are triggered during the songs. The movie can be viewed with English subtitles.

Extras:

There are four short featurettes included with the release. The first two featurettes, “Changing the Face of Bollywood” and “Working Together,” explore the working relationship between different filmmakers in Bollywood and how this film delves into an unfamiliar territory. Following these two featurettes, we have two more featurettes specifically on the film. Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan discuss the story line, its characters, and the marketing strategy. Ending the extras, we have a set of two musical promos for the songs “Sajda” and “Tere Naina.”

Parting Shots:

Technically, “My Name Is Khan” excels in all departments. The film consists of a brilliant first act, an average middle act, and a clumsy final act. Shah Rukh Khan’s performance is riveting, along with average performances from the supporting cast. “My Name Is Khan” digs into unfamiliar territory that is not a norm for mainstream Bollywood cinema. It is interesting to see the post-9/11 world through the lens of an Indian director. The film tries to unite people with its message of generosity that crosses the radical divide, although with mixed results.


Final Ratings:
Video = 9/10
Audio = 8/10
Extras = 4/10
Movie = 7/10