My Name Is Khan - A bundle and burden of expectations...

My Name Is Khan (2010)

Director: Karan Johar
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol
Release Date: 12th February, 2010

SRK has been the reigning King of Hindi Cinema since the mid-nineties. He has continuously conquered hearts and the box office. SRK’s magnetic and larger than life screen presence and ability to emotionally connect with audiences of all ages is unparalleled. However, the one thing his critics have held against him is that he has always worked with only a few set of people and very rarely gone out of his comfort zone. In the past, SRK has proved his critics wrong as two of his best performances - Mohan Bhargav (Swades) and Kabir Khan (Chak De India), have been roles where he has portrayed characters different from his image.

Playing the character of a Muslim Man suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome is a departure from the usual and yet another chance for SRK to prove his critics wrong. Although it would be a different role, it would not really be a first of its kind attempt. In modern times in Hindi Cinema, Hrithik has successfully played the role of a mentally challenged man in 'Koi Mil Gaya' in 2003. The best performances in my books by actors portraying such characters have been the OSCAR winning performances of Dustin Hoffman and Tom Hanks in Rainman and Forrest Gump respectively. The bar is already very high and it is going to be very challenging for SRK to make Rizwaan stand out from everything else we have seen in the past. It is the sort of role which either has the potential to be one of the biggest highlights of his career or is a role which he could easily end up hamming.

SRK and Kajol after all those years of sizzling chemistry are back on the big screen with My Name Is Khan. In all probability, the film could be their last film together. It will be interesting to see how their pairing in this film stands out from their past work together.

Candy floss film-maker Karan Johar has gone on record and said that making MNIK has been a spiritual experience for him. His last film ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’, although not universally liked, was a brave film. Just 30 minutes of editing inconsequential scenes like the Black Beast kidnapping saga and Dev's son's football match, would have resulted in a very to the point and hard hitting film. My Name Is Khan, I believe, is going to be a novel attempt by the film maker.

Honestly speaking, the first trailer of My Name Is Khan ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8nACZEsVgs ) was a bit of a letdown. The mother preaching in the starting and Kajol acting hysterically was unwanted. The trailer tried to say too much and should have been crisper. The second International Trailer ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDkARnVxpHQ ) looks very promising. It emphasises that the movie is esentially a love story in the socio-cultural backdrop of a post 9/11 America.

In recent memory, 'New York' and 'Kurbaan' have been based on the plight-of-muslims-in-a-post-9/11-America. While Yash Raj’s ‘New York’ was a decent effort, Dharma Production’ last movie ‘Kurbaan’ was according to me a very shoddy, sensationalistic and an improbable story. If My Name Is Khan is supposed to be one of the best movies coming out of Hindi Cinema, it is imperative that it is backed by a good script. Again, it will be very interesting to see whether the story writer has been able to differentiate and do justice to the story and the theme respectively.

20th Century Fox has reportedly bought the distribution rights for the film for INR 100 crore, which if true, is a record. From a marketing angle, it will be interesting to see the kind of business this movie does. Going by the past record of the SRK-Karan Johar duo, MNIK has every potential to break all box office records for a Hindi Film overseas. Recently, Three Idiots has made INR 315 crores in the first 20 days of its release and become the highest grossing Hindi Film of all time. It will be a very tall order for MNIK to get past those numbers. Brand SRK Vs Brand Aaamir - who will come out on top?

The preview clearly captures why 'My Name Is Khan' is one of the most anticipated movies. All questions will be answered on 12th February. Get your tickets booked in advance!

An Overcooked Recipe

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)

Rating: *****

By,

Rahul Ojha

What happens when you over cook the best recipe? Result is a cuisine that you eat when you are hungry without relishing it. The most awaited movie of the year - Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (RNBDJ)is just like that overcooked cuisine which the audience is expected to digest just because it has the magic ingredient, the Badshah of Hindi cinema Shahrukh Khan starring in it.

The plot is about the unrequited love of a geek, meek and a shy small town man who marries a pretty punjabi girl in unexpected circumstances. How will he win his love and make the only woman he has ever loved, love him in return? This interesting plot premise, despite taking off well in the first 20 odd minutes is battered, thanks to shoddy writing which lacks both conviction and logic.

The only well written and endearing character is of this geeky guy – Surinder played by SRK. The new actress Anushka Sharma comes across as beautiful, confident and charming. She fits perfectly in the role of a Punjabi girl, giving a decent but low impact performance. Raj, the cool, clean shaved and hip Jatt guy again played by SRK is a bad caricature of the romantic image of ‘Rahul’ and ‘Raj’ created by SRK and Yash Raj over the years. After the initial interest, this character too fails to make the storyline any interesting. So there you have it , when in the script two out of the three central characters are ineffective, you know it’s time to fasten the seat belt as this flight is in some trouble.

But this flight somehow doesn’t crash. What saves it is SRK who gives it his all to make Surinder and Raj as endearing as possible. He is the sole reason keeping you on board. SRK tries hard and succeeds to engage you emotionally in some sporadic scenes just like the small and few chocolate pieces hidden in a big plain biscuit. Also, the success of a romantic comedy is determined by the number of magical moments the lead pair have on screen. In RNBDJ, unfortunately these moments are almost nonexistent. But right from the last few minutes to the end of the credits the film ends on a creative, humorous and feel good note which again spares it from the wrath of the audience.

The film has only four main songs, Haule Haule and Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte being the highlights. Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte is a tribute to the great romantic heroes of the yester years and has five leading ladies of Bollywood dancing in five different segments. In segment one the duo SRK and Kajol dancing together once again shows us why they were and are still the best looking pair in Hindi Cinema. And In the same song in segment five, Rani Mukherjee looks totally out of place. Nevertheless this track is an extremely entertaining affair. The title track, Tujhe Mei Rab Dikhta Hai is a huge disappointment with the way it is picturised. Though the movie is shot well and has good production value which one expects from Yash Raj. The Amritsar setting looks very authentic.

So all in all ‘Rab Ne…’ is a watchable but underwhelming affair. Aditya Chopra is below average in his duties as script writer, dialog writer and director. Infact, after Mohabbatein, he has plummeted to a new low. There is a lesson to be learnt for directors who lack a great script and expect SRK to deliver the goods for them each time no matter how puerile the plot. And SRK needs to watch DVDs of Swades and Chak De and remind himself of what he is capable of, and in future choose roles of substance. RNBDJ is not going to be a highlight or milestone in his successful career.