An education - learn to live, not kill... Review on My Name is Khan

I waited an eternity for this movie to release. When it finally did, I was quick to grab the preview show. There were a lot of questions buzzing through my mind and for the first time – all of them got clear, distinct answers! That is the strength of MNIK, it provides some very confronting answers which billions of people have been searching for. No, it’s not diplomatic and does not leave anything for the audience to comprehend. What set this film apart from the countless terrorist backdrop films of the genre are its frankness and a solid solution. You may not like it or accept it, but at least for the first time there is light at the end of the tunnel – it’s your choice. This very notion also makes MNIK a very non – commercial film. People will be taken aback by it. My Name is Khan is not entertainment… it’s an education!

Plot:

I am not aware of the situation in Mumbai but I will sincerely pray that people all over the world, irrespective of their race or identity watch this film. Let’s face it though – the bare bones of the plot isn’t ‘marvelous’. In fact, the plot of the film is its weakest link apart from editing. So don’t worry, there are hardly any spoilers. Rizwan Khan (Shahrukh) was a different boy. He has Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism (like Dustin Hoffman from Rain man). His mother (Zarina Wahab in a brilliant cameo) however, teaches him some valuable life lessons and doesn’t let him rid himself of human contact. After her death, Rizwan moves to America where his brother Zakir (Jimmy Shergill) resides. Rizwan becomes a salesman, selling beauty products made by his brother. He has limited success due to his frank nature until he meets Mandira (Kajol). They both bond and despite religious differences and Zakir’s anger, Rizwan marries Mandira. She already has a child from her previous marriage named Samir. Together, they start a family. After 9/11, attitudes towards Muslims change drastically and Sam becomes a victim of racial hatred and dies. Mandira, in a spite of grief and anger blames the whole fiasco on Rizwan and tells him to “go and tell the President that he is not a terrorist”. The only catch is that – he really does. We see flashbacks of Rizwan’s current journey and his previous life entwined together, almost in a Tarrantino like narration. “My name is Khan… and I am not a terrorist!”

Themes:

So what makes this film work? The answer – the script, characterization, acting, direction; in short – everything else apart from the basic plot. MNIK is confronting on many levels. I could see some people frown because of what they were seeing. The major reason being – the film doesn’t blame anyone but asks us to look into ourselves and correct ourselves. The “goras” are not the villains, neither are the extremists, nor the Hindus or the Muslims. No, no. We all are villains. In a time of grief, we as human beings adopt an attitude of anger and get frustrated if we feel something wrong has happened to us. Emotion clouds our judgment and the path of violence and hatred is extremely tempting. Blaming others is easy, acceptance is hard. This is the highpoint of the film. It is not about terrorism, it is about attitudes towards a religion and the question of identity – What is Islam? Who is a Muslim?

As the film clearly points out – there is only one difference between people – good or bad. Before you start rolling your eyes, by the end you realize that people are inherently good; it is just the insecurity and the situation that makes them do bad things. The tirade against Muslims was because of the lack of awareness of the Islamic religion (a teacher in an American school is teaching – “Islam is the most violent of all religions” – lack of awareness). Wounds haven’t filled up but the first act is to accept that there was something wrong which had occurred. Blaming is just a way to escape from the acceptance – and it is that escape route which the extremists offer and exploit.

The film is an ode for living, not killing. Whether we like it or not, we have to live with other people. There would be people whom we may not like or people who think differently, but that does not give us an excuse to eliminate them. Differences only increase prejudice. Why don’t we see people as just people? Why black – white, Hindu – Muslim, Indian – foreigner among others. Distinctions were made to create a sense of belonging, not division. It seems as if the British never left.

Lastly, it is the journey of one man who triumphs against all odds. This movie is about Rizwan Khan, NOT Shahrukh Khan. At no point will you either feel that it is Shahrukh’s film. The character of Rizwan is brilliantly sketched. Each detail is kept in mind. The research that has gone into the creation of the character is evident. The way he walks, stiff hands, never making eye contact, pauses and repetitions while speaking and a true heart. This is not a person who is ‘worldly wise’ and has ‘seen the world’. In fact he finds a lot of things odd about human beings whom we take for granted. It is this confrontation with the true ethos of humanity that really grips you. The way society judges peoples, stereotypes them. An institution like a society hates individualism. Society hates people who are different – those who stand out, for good or for worse. It wants everyone to function according to “set patterns of behaviour”. If you want to fit in, learn the ways of the world. This is where Rizwan’s ‘lone crusader’ act is touching. He faces his distinctness and doesn’t run away in a fictional escape world blaming society for his distinctiveness. MNIK is hardly a love story; it’s so much more…

The songs do not hinder the pace of the film. They run in the background and the film keeps moving. Tere naina, more khuda and Sajda are hauntingly melodious. They are not catchy but are pleasant to listen to. Cinematography is brilliant. The camerawork is the best I have seen in a long time. Contd in comments...