My Name Is Khan Movie Review

We’ve never really been huge fans of Karan Johar films – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was good, K3G was okay, KANK was terrible. Hence we were slightly cynical about My Name Is Khan.

But the film is special for several reasons; it has one of the biggest stars in the country playing a not-so-perfect character and two, SRK and Kajol return for what could be their last outing together. Do they recreate on-screen magic with MNIK? Read on to find out.

Rizwan Khan (Shahrukh Khan) suffering from Asperger’s syndrome, moves to San Francisco after spending most of his life in Mumbai. Here he comes across Mandira (Kajol), a charming lady who steals his heart away. They get married and start a business together. Everything that’s happy and perfect suddenly turns upside down and turmoil starts creeping into his life after the 9/11 attacks. Muslims, now seen as idols of evil, devastates the life of Rizwan. Confused and upset of loosing his dignity and love, he embarks on a touching journey to win back his love.

What works for My Name Is Khan

  • MNIK is inarguably Karan Johar’s best work to date. Its the simplicity of his narration that works for the film. There are times when certain scenes get over-dramatic, but Karan can be forgiven, simply because he gets it right more often than not.
  • The Asperger’s disorder that Karan’s protagonist suffers from, works big time in favour of the  film as you cheer for Rizwan Khan all through. Its the character’s innocence, charm and niceness that you willingly let your heart go out to him.
  • Aided by the magical chemistry that SRK-Kajol share, the love story works like a dream.
  • The music is good, Tere Naina and Noor-e-Khuda are the best tracks in the album. Karan has sensibly avoided lip synced song and dance routines.
  • The dialogues (Shibani Bathija and Niranjan Iyengar) are effective and funny when its meant to be.
  • Cinematography is excellent. Ravi K Chandran has captured San Fransisco very well.

Scenes to watch out for

  • Almost all scenes involving Rizwan Khan – him selling products, first meets Mandira (Kajol), hospital scene, after the wedding – to name a few, all exceptionally well executed and equally well performed.
  • Scenes following the tragedy.
  • SRK – Kajol romantic portions in the first half are cute.

Some negatives

  • While Karan in MNIK has tried his best to break away from the so-called filmi formula, he does succumb to the temptation on more than one occasion. (More on this later)
  • The climax doesn’t work.
  • The character actors don’t get much scope.

Performances

  • Khan is King and he proves just why with a performance comparable to some of his best – Chak De and Swades. In MNIK, SRK the star is hardly visible, its Rizwan Khan all through. We think, its the greatest compliment you could ever give to an actor.
  • Kajol is fantastic. She effortlessly slips into Mandira, her character and stays there through the film. The chemistry she shares with SRK is electrifying, not that we expected anything less anyway.
  • Child Artistes : Both Tanay Chheda (young Rizwan Khan) and Yuvaan Makaar (Sameer) do well.
  • The rest – Jimmy Shergill, Vinay Pathak, Sonya Jehan, Zarina Wahab – don’t get enough scope.

Overall, My Name Is Khan is an entertaining film that makes you laugh and shed a couple of tears. Its a journey that’s worth the price of your ticket and a bit more.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 3 for the film, 1 for SRK and Kajol, they were brilliant!

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375 Comments

  • adii

    dude going to watch mnik tonight possibly being human and fan of sallu bhai ,
    who also wished good wishes to srk few days back .

    and i will put my true basic star rating soon as i suffering from short term memory loss like sanjay singhania,

    i cant review like nauman bhai, indicne team and colleague and friends on indicine site

    atleast i will give basic star rating .

  • @amish ..Hi ! How can MNIK open well when most of the cinemas are closed?N nauman is so rite that if only 500 screens will show the movie obviously house will be full :) Secondly MNIK needs 44carores DS n if single screens are completly closed how can it get to even hit status :) Mr Taran has really lost it once again..I wonder how much K Johar has paid him…

  • hina mnik is released all over india. in mumbai it is released in major multiplexes . only single screens and few multiplex aren’t showing the film. MNIK got a bumper response all over india. approx 1150 screens are showing the film in india . film was to be released on 1200 screens.

  • My Name Is Khan Opens To Bumper Response

    Friday 12th February 2010 13.00 IST

    Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network

    My Name Is Khan has opened to a bumper response in India. Multiplexes across the country are recording phenomenal collections with major multiplexes being 100% for the first two shows. Wave Ludhiana, Fun Chandigarh, Wave Noida, Inox Kolkata, PVR Bangalore and Fun Bangalore amongst others have seen full houses in the morning for the first two shows.

    Mumbai which is having a limited release is also extraordinary. Fun had their first show in the city at 12.00 and recorded 100% collections. The business at single screens is lower than multiplexes but still very good. Delhi and Kolkata single screens are super strong. Despite the problems in Mumbai the film will record very high collections on day one.

    by Taran adarsh:(SRK POWER, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
    B.O. update: ‘M.N.I.K.’ opens to a deafening response!
    – By Taran Adarsh, February 12, 2010 – 16:01 IST
    Humungous — that’s the right word to describe the initial response to MY NAME IS KHAN. The film had a deafening start at practically every centre, with practically every multiplex generating 100% collections, while single screens in mass-dominated centres opened to a 70% – 80% response, which is very, very good.

    At a major theatre in Delhi, the audiences heralded the arrival of the film with band-bajaa and by bursting crackers. Outside a theatre in Patna, a moviegoer distributed roses to cinegoers who had come to watch the film.

    The reviews from critics who matter are already out [every reviewer has praised the film to the skies] and the audience feedback is overwhelming. In fact, at several places, there has been a mad scramble to book the tickets and the film is expected to set theatre, city and district records at most centres.

    In Mumbai, the multiplexes had decided to open shows at one property each. Hence, the multiplexes didn’t perform the morning shows, but commenced screening from 12 noon onwards. The screenings began at Fun Republic [Andheri], Inox [Nariman Point], PVR [Goregaon], Fame [Malad], Big [Wadala] and Cinemax [Kandivali]. The multiplexes have now started screening the film at other properties.

    Despite the Mumbai release getting affected, the film should have a solid, record-breaking Friday, in terms of box-office numbers.

    Overseas: (WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

  • @Amit

    Sources : glamsham.com

    Shahrukh Khan’s much touted film MY NAME IS KHAN’s fate is out. Now the film will have a limited release in the city.

    As per the latest buzz, the Multiplexes owners in Mumbai have come up with the decision of releasing MY NAME IS KHAN in some multiplexes in Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra at 12 PM today. And for the same Maharashtra government has decided to provide high security to these multiplexes.

    The decision to release the movie was taken at a meeting of the Multiplex Association held in the morning around 9.30 am, when the late night meeting with the filmmakers had not been enough to convince them to release the film.

    On the other hand most of the single screens have decided not to release the film.

    However more multiplexes and theatres will follow the suit of releasing the film, if the ongoing uproar comes to a rest.

  • @ Hina ji- Single screens r not completely closed.. peeche se darwaza open hai ji..;) just kiddin..
    Yup d movie s gonna lose a big chunk of money from mumbai, but in other places movie s doin gud, n once d ban is off even in mumbai ppl will watch it so on a long run it may work, but everythin remains to be seen hw d situation goes bout from tom.

    Overseas no doubt it has opened BIG n surely gonna beat Ghajini`s record der..;) he he

  • it looks like a movie didn’t release rather a big event happened , this picture is getting big from the early times whether it is release of promos or music or its release.

    news channels are getting mad showing the news about mnik.

    multiplexes are housefull and single screens are 75% full clearly this means film is having a big opening like 3idiots.

  • Overseas update: ‘M.N.I.K.’ smashes records in U.K., Aus., NZ
    By Taran Adarsh, February 12, 2010 – 17:57 IST

    The international figures have started pouring in…

    U.K.:

    MY NAME IS KHAN previewed last night [Thursday] with an incredible [approx.] £ 123,000 from 89 sites. The film opened 4th in the market place, behind AVATAR, THE WOLFMAN previews and INVICTUS.

    AUSTRALIA:

    On its opening day, MY NAME IS KHAN grossed an impressive Aus. $ 39,000. The movie is ranked #11 in the market. According to Fox, this is 107% of 3 IDIOTS Thursday B.O.

    NEW ZEALAND & FIJI:

    MY NAME IS KHAN collected, on its opening day, NZD $ 13,627. It ranked #7 at the box-office. It may be noted that Bollywood films traditionally open on a Friday.

    Nw wat bout USA?? it couldnt smash is it..;)

  • But one thing which s very imp- a reviewer makes sure d movie has high collections atleast till d end of first week bcoz his reviews wer positive…;)
    Nw d Janta reaction video will come wer dey will show only those who say- ” Wah! mind blowin movie”..;)

  • i wish mnik good luck

    but breaking records of ghajni and 3 idiots its a long journey to go for mnik …

    b’coz ghajni and 3 idiots both simultaneously done well at single screen as well as multiplex and audience had watched minimum 2times this movies to max per there wish and 3 idiots enters it seventh week with going good bussiness till yet ….

    so, mnik should have that much impact that audience will watch it min 2 times for huge success like ghajni or 3idiots ?

    add another point ghajni and 3 idiots had watched by universal audience not only aamir khan fans…

    so, mnik should have that much impact that it can be entertain universal audience ?

  • What I don’t understand is why a film like MNIK a national issue?? Doesn’t India have better things to worry about than that loser Srk

  • @amish jee ..lolz I agree with you.MNIK always had to open well in overseas :) Datz great 4 Bollywood…
    But I am doubtful about India Box-office :) Anyways in Pakistan it will rock coz its SRK’s 1st eva release here n he has huge fan-following here….

  • Just seen My Name Is Khan & had a mixed-good feeling about this movie. First of all it was good to watch a srk-kajol-k.johar movie after such a long time & it was almost worth it!!!
    the first half of the movie was good & srk kajol shared a good chemistry.the 2nd half becames a drag after a while with all those scenes involving khan’s heroism & media blah blah. it was good to see srk ‘the actor’ after a long time, it’s sad that why can’t he do this again & again without wasting his ability in doing silly roles.kajol was good though saddled with a badly written character which sometimes get annoying. the other actors give their full effort too, some of them clicks & some of them not.The cinematography & locations r simply breathtaking, which covers almost the whole of U.S.In spite of having many high point’s ,the movie just fall’s short of becoming an ‘exceptional’ film. overall i will rate it 3.5/5 (.5 just for srk).

  • Hina…MNIK created a huge a hype here..but..now scenario has changed..as the audiences r giving the mixed reaction..Media is trying their best to promote..but..not so encouraging..let’s hope for better..

  • Overseas box office usualy comes later this wk..But this time Taran ji published it on Friday..He is trying his best to promote..

  • cheers guys, audeince reaction is pretty negative, all critics and news r tying hard to promote mnik but audeince r not liking most of them r telling it sis a so so movie……………

    i m telling the indore audience reactions…………

  • while entering da cinema hall i was afraid coz i thought it wd b same asusual srk’s over acting, i hav 2 bear bt omg acting wise this is da best acting srk has ever done.it is his carrer best performance.every one wl fall in love with him after watching his mind blowing performance .kajol is ok..bt she luks very old.

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