My Name is Khan is ready to release next month and if you have already had a chance to grab a copy of the CD, you have been treated to a glimpse into the synopsis and a note from director, Karan Johar. In what seems like a diary entry, Rizvan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) tells us about his role briefly as he plays a character that is living with Aspergers Syndrome.
My name is Rizvan Khan. I might seem a little ‘different’ to you. That is because I have Aspergers Syndrome. It is named after Dr Hans Asperger who first noticed the traits in children. Having Aspergers does not mean I am stupid. I am very intelligent, but I don’t understand people. I don’t know why people say things they don’t mean. For example, they say come to my house any time, and when I go to their house they say why have you come at this time? Sometimes people think I am rude. I don’t mean to be rude, being rude is not good. My mother said there are only good people and bad people in the world and I am a good person…
It also gives us a glimpse into the story. Khan comes to San Francisco, falls in love with a single mother, Mandira (Kajol). The couple then open up a business until the dreaded September 11th 2001 strikes changing their lives forever.
Rizvan Khan, a Muslim man from India, moves to San Francisco and lives with his brother and sister-in-law. Rizvan, who has Aspergers, falls in love with Mandira. Despite protests from his family they get married and start a small business together. They are happy until September 11, 2001 when attitudes towards Muslims undergo a sea-change. When tragedy strikes, Mandira is devastated and they split. Rizvan is confused and very upset that the love of his life has left him. To win her back, he embarks on a touching and inspiring journey across America.
My Name is Khan is the triumphant story of an unconventional hero overcoming obstacles to regain the love of his life.
Johar’s note explains how making My Name is Khan has changed his perception of filmmaking forever. The director also felt a wave of emotions while making the film which included love, loss, fear, ignorance and propaganda.
Johar wrote: The journey to make this film has been heavily laden with self-discovery and a deeper understanding of the various manifestations of love, loss, strife, fear, ignorance, and social consciousness. Stretching beyond a form and process of storytelling that I had been comfortable with earlier, this film challenged me to understand a multitude of perspectives as I tried to convey all of the various opinions, facts, and propaganda that comes with the global issue of discrimination and intolerance towards a race of people completely unassociated by the evils of terrorism.
With My Name is Khan, I have been able to understand the craft of filmmaking on a deeper level, aided greatly by the immense talent and dedication that was brought to the table by my entire cast and crew.
My Name is Khan is set to hit cinemas February 12th and promises to be an experience of a lifetime. This will be Dharma Production’s second shot at releasing a film that talks about propaganda that is associated post 9-11.
