My Name Is Khan celebrates 5th Anniversary

Movies always manage to stir emotions in us. Almost all of them do. But only very few leave behind ever-lasting mark in our hearts. They entertain us, help kill boredom, satiate our love of Bollywood movies, but very few transform us, change our outlook toward life and love, and we grow, psychologically and emotionally. Dharma Productions’ My Name Is Khan is one such movie.

My Name Is Khan is centered on the lives of the two main characters Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) and Mandira (Kajol). The film, for most part, is set in San Francisco where Mandira works as a hairdresser and Rizwan stays and works with his brother Zakir Khan (Jimmy Shergill). They fall in love and are happily married. Soon after, the 26/11 terrorist attacks shake the country and their lives are torn apart. The journey, thereafter, is about Rizwan’s fight to prove the prejudiced mindsets – Muslims are terrorists – wrong and winning back the love of his love.

On its 5th anniversary, we recount the special heart-touching memories from the movie and what they taught us.

In the movie, Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild condition of autism. This part is so well acted leaving behind a message that children and adults who suffer from this disorder are equally competent, emotionally and psychologically, as those who don’t.

That love is unconditional and knows no bounds was never better portrayed. Although, Rizwan is autistic, but his innocent and affectionate manners have Mandira fall in love with him. The chocolate-sweet romance between the couple is just so adorable.

Age old wisdom is passed from Rizwan’s mother to Rizwan in his childhood - “There are only 2 types of people in this world – Those who do good things and those who do bad things”. Only if all of us understood the depth and relevance of this message, we would all be one and under the same sun; not divided by religion and community barriers.


The blockbuster movie was not only a runaway hit in India, but received an equally greater international appreciation too. On its 5th anniversary, watch this absolutely fantastic movie and tell us about your favorite scenes, dialogues, etc.

An ordinary man’s extraordinary journey

There are only two kinds of people in the world. Good people who do good things and bad people who do bad things. In a world where the definitions of good and bad are changing everyday by those who are in power and those who want to achieve power, most of us tend to go with the flow and believe in values which are most convenient for us.

But there are some people who are gifted (or cursed, depends on your point of view) with the ability to see things as they are, without their interests hindering their perspective. One such soul with such unbiased views is the protagonist in ‘My Name Is Khan’.

The movie depicts the adventures of an ordinary man embarking on an extraordinary journey to seek justice. Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), a Muslim from the Borivali section of Mumbai, suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that complicates social interaction. As an adult, Rizwan marries a Hindu single mother, Mandira, in San Francisco. After 9/11, Rizwan is detained by authorities at LAX who mistake his disability for suspicious behavior. Following his arrest, he meets Radha, a therapist who helps him deal with his situation and his affliction. Rizwan then begins a journey to meet US President George W. Bush to clear his name.

On his journey, he comes across some extraordinary people and has an adventure of a lifetime. His journey across multiple states in USA to prove his innocence was one of epic proportions. The fact that a man with autism goes against all odds to stand up for justice should be an inspiration to us all. Watch the movie again to relive the extraordinary journey this ordinary man embarks on in this ground breaking film!

Love knows no boundaries!

                                      

“Rishtey sirf khoon se nahi hoti... mohabbat se bhi bante hai,” this heart-warming quote by Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) in ‘My Name Is Khan’ says a lot about the nature of love. It holds deep meaning in regards to how love can transcend all kinds of boundaries, whether it is religion or even familial ties.

In the movie, Rizwan Khan falls in love with a Hindu woman, Mandira (Kajol), even though his brother Zakir (Jimmy Shergill) is opposed to him having an inter-caste relationship. Rizwan goes against all odds and marries her. His unbiased love for Mandira becomes apparent in the beauty salon when we hear him narrating the line “Physics ki ek Entrainment theory hai jiske mutabik....Kuch khaas awazon se dil ki dhadkanein or bhi tez ho jaati hai..Mere liye toh Mandira woh awaaz humesha tumhaari Hasi ki hai” He finds true love in her as she is willing to accept him despite his religious beliefs. They embark on a wonderful journey, supporting each other every step of the way.

In our present day lives where racism and intolerance are still seen widespread, we should live by this extraordinary example of love that Rizwan and Mandira share. We admire Shahrukh Khan’s character Rizwan for having shown us that love alone can bring about change by breaking communal barriers and turning it into communal love.