The writing is clear on the wall: The youth holds the key to success. A film starring a fresh pair, exceptional music and remarkable promotion can entice and lure viewers to cineplexes. That, in a nutshell, explains the terrific opening weekend business of I HATE LUV STORYS. Of course, you cannot overlook the marvellous contribution by Karan Johar and UTV, two names that are synonymous with qualitative cinema. They ensured that the film was talked-about and more than visible prior to its release.
It was a foregone conclusion that I HATE LUV STORYS would open very well at the ticket window. The rom-com radiated the right vibes and like most Karan Johar movies, the urban audience/multiplex junta was expected to give a warm reception to the film.
If you scrutinize the business of I HATE LUV STORYS, you'd realize that the metros and centres with plexes have contributed around 85% to 90% of its business. The contribution by the youth is overwhelming. The single screens haven't reacted well, but let's not forget that a film with an English title and classy treatment finds it difficult to penetrate into smaller centres or the mass-dominated belt. The Salman Khan starrer WANTED, a hardcore masala film, reaped a harvest from single screens, while MAIN AUR MRS. KHANNA, starring the same actor, was not only rejected at urban centres, but also single screens and mass-dominated areas.
Monday being Bharat Bandh, the plexes/single screens resumed screenings from evening shows onwards. Of course, the business was severely affected, but the general consensus is that the film will remain steady on weekdays and also in its second weekend at metros.
What goes in its favour is its economics. The film was made in a moderate budget and sold to UTV for an equally nominal price [Rs. 18 cr.; excluding P. & A.], who in turn sold the film to various territory distributors. Karan has recovered his investment, UTV too recovered the money invested in the film and made profits before its release and with a terrific start on hand, the territory distributors have won half the battle. The nominal costs on one hand and the excellent shares from plexes on the other should ensure a quick recovery for the buyers. In fact, everyone associated with I HATE LUV STORYS -- the producers, the principal distributor and the territory distributors -- is likely to earn from it, which is quite a rarity in today's times.
The title may be I HATE LUV STORYS, but the makers and distributors are chanting a different tune post its release: 'We luv luv storys'.
Karan Johar, one of the most successful directors in India [ Images ] with all the four films directed by him starting with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai [ Images ] in 1998 is a super hit, was in America recently for the launch of the international edition of his biggest, My Name Is Khan.
But directing films is one of his several passions, he says. "I like to see directors and writers get a break through the films I produce," he says.
Though the films directed or produced by him have featured some of the best known artists in India including Amitabh Bachchan [ Images ] and his son Abishek, it is his association with Shah Rukh Khan [ Images ], who is there in the lead in all four films directed by him, has made movie history.
"When Karan says he has a film for me, I don't even ask for the script," Shah Rukh has said.
When My Name Is Khan opened over two months ago, there were some people and trade analysts in India who wrote that it had collapsed in the second week.
The film has grossed over $39 million worldwide; it is the highest grossing Hindi film outside India. We may reach $40 million. It is doing great as a DVD despite piracy in India. We have added over 20 minutes of deleted scenes.
Much of its success came from abroad.
Yes but it is also a huge hit in India. It was particularly strong in the United Kingdom grossing over $4 million. In fact, in the United Kingdom the three top-grossing films are directed by me.
MNIK did better business in the UK than 3 Idiots. And MNIK is still running in more than 100 theatres worldwide. We have just opened the international director's cut in America targeted at the non-diasporic audiences in America, showing the film first in New York and Los Angeles, and if it does well, expanding it to other cities.
What is the big difference between the director's cut and the standard edition?
[Chuckles] Fox Searchlight (the international distributor for the film) has edited out nearly half an hour from the original and they have done an excellent job. I was fully aware of the process and I was pleased to see the new version. Brevity may not be my forte. It is theirs.
Going back to India and the performance of MNIK there ...
We are surprised that it did beyond our expectations. This is not the usual masala film. This is not even a typical Karan Johar [ Images ] film. It is more thought provoking and deeply psychological film than anything I have done before. As I have said before, making this film make me grow more as a person than ever before.
What did Fox Searchlight do to this film that an Indian distributor could not do in the foreign markets?
Because of its vast network, Fox was able to show this film in the best of the theatres worldwide from Canada [ Images ] to Poland to Indonesia. Even in countries where Indian films are very popular but not well distributed, Fox did a remarkable job. From Egypt [ Images ] to Jordan to Malaysia, the film has performed strongly to a large extent because of the Fox distribution strategy and its ability to engage leading film writers in various countries to run stories on My Name Is Khan.
What are some of the territories have surprised you?
Indonesia, in particular. If a Hindi language film grossed about $75,000 there, it is considered excellent but our film struck a chord, and it became a sleeper hit grossing over $1.6 million.
In many Muslim countries, people were moved by what this film is trying to do: to remove a generalized, stereotype depiction of a religion. But extension, it speaks for any religion that is misunderstood an vilified. It offers a human message and it touches your heart.
I believe the film is enjoying a good run in Poland.
It grossed about $75,000 in its first week which is very good for a territory like Poland. I believe the second week is even stronger.
Playing a devil's advocate. Why would anyone care to see your film in Poland which has no history of watching Hindi films in big numbers?
My Name Is Khan is about humanity. It is a film about times and unfolds against the background of today's headlines. But above all, it is a film about the triumphant of goodness.
Are you working with Fox soon?
Right now I don't have any project but who knows what could happen tomorrow? Fox welcomed Dharma Productions and me as if we were family members. And surely if there is a project that interests a Hollywood studio, Fox would welcome us again.
Dharma has given a break to many directors
That is our pride. Last year we made Wake Up Sid [ Images ] directed by Ayan Mukherjee. Soon we have Punit Malhotra-directed I Hate Love Stories with Imran Khan [ Images ] and Sonam in release. I believe it is a sweet and funny film.
What is I Hate Love Stories about?
It is about this guy who hates Hindi movie love stories. But he can't believe that many things that happen in these films are happening to him in real life. And the movie becomes a quintessential love story.
I believe Sonam Kapoor [ Images ] is a luminous artist, the Waheeda Rehman [ Images ] of our generation but she hasn't yet got her due...
I hope our film will give her more exposure and success. She comes from an illustrious family and has firm values. And then there is also an excellent actress/
You don't shy away from discussing your hits and flops. What do you think went wrong with Kurbaan [ Images ] which was also the first film directed by Rensil D'Silva?
It came soon after another film dealing with the aftermath of terrorism in America was released and became a hit. Though Kurbaan was different from that film, still the audiences were hesitant to go and see it. Perhaps we should not have given it a wide release like showing it in over 300 theatres in the first week. The film might have worked better had the word of mouth had time to grow.
You have also said that as a producer you too take personal responsibility for the film's failure.
I feel that I wrongly projected the sexual violence as opposed to the emotional violence of the story. And yet the failure of the film surprised all of us. We still hear from people, not only in India but also in the Middle East, America and the United Kingdom who loved the film. But over all, the film did not take off.
What else have you learned from the reaction to Kurbaan?
I believe it is more important to accept the failure of a film than accept a success. For from failure, you learn a few things. But I also believe that one should never let a failure change one's outlook, as long as it was a credible failure, and Kurbaan was one such film; never to let the failure eat into your heart. We are proud of the way the film was shaped.
What else among Dharma Productions movies would you consider an honourable failure?
More than two decades ago my father (Yash Johar) produced Agneepath which did not do well. It was also a credible failure. Dharma productions soon launched another film. There was no time to mourn the failure. I always remember my father's attitude.
Amitabh Bachchan speaks very proudly of the film, and recites dialogue from it at his live shows?
Yes, he has told us again and again how dear the film is to him. And that is one of the reasons he has continued working with us.
People still remember your father decades after working with him, and many years after his death. Waheeda Rehman speaks about him as they are still friends.
My father was the production manager on Dev Anand's [ Images ] Guide (one of the best-known films starring Waheeda and made in the late 1960s). He played an important role in making the film what it is.
You have spent quite some time in recent years writing stories for films directed by others for Dharma Productions. When are you going to direct your own project.
I would say, soon, say after a few months. But I don't have any subject in my mind. I am using my sojourn in America to think about my next.
What kind of film are you inclined to make?
I think it would be a fun-filled film. It does not also have to be a film with many stars. But who knows? Beyond that I do not have any clue what the film is going to be, and where it would be made.
Arthur J Pais in New York
http://movies.rediff.com/interview/2010/may/12/karan-johar-gets-candid.htm
If the name Alan Edward Bell doesn't ring a 'bell' in your mind, then, let us tell you that, he is the same man who is responsible for the crisp editing of 500 Days Of Summer. And it is going to be this man who will very soon be the talk of the nation (or is that 'globe'?), as he is the man responsible for 'taming the hurricane'. For the uninitiated, we are talking about the climax of Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan wherein the characters get stranded due to a hurricane. Post the release of the film in India; while the story and screenplay were appreciated to the hilt, this was one particular scene that was panned by critics alike. But, for its US release, KJo has let Bell's hands to do the talking (read 'snipping').
Karan Johan candidly admits that he was expecting this scene not to work in the same wavelength as the film's story. He also added that, it was for this reason, that he let Bell to do his job (without any interference from him) since he wanted an outsider's perspective to the story. This has now resulted in the chopping of the hurricane scene in the US version of My Name Is Khan. Bell's work will be visible in the film, which releases on May 7th in the US, and will have its subtitles and voiceovers in English for the audiences there.
Year 2006 - I convinced my wife that we had to watch KANK, and cannot MISS it. So she obliged, and i have regretted ever since the mistake i made :) Bottomline - I was told in future no more KJo movie watching. PERIOD. I was not worried at that time, since i never knew what Karan had in store...
Year 2009 - Kadz my idol was in my town for MNIK shoot. Since i had my priorities right, managed to go and watch the shoot, at just the cost of a work day. Now i made a vow that i will watch MNIK no matter what.
Late 2009 - MNIK's release date is out.. “Feb 12th 2010”. I mark it up on the calendar and start plotting to watch it, after 18 months of drought of movie watching in theatres. Then the light goes off in my head. Why not take the spouse for MNIK on Feb 14th, as a Valentine's day surprise...
Feb 12th 2010 - D-Day.. Movie gets released, and it gets a mixed review, and even good friends who are SRK fans give it a lukewarm review. So now I am in a state of PANIC.. I don’t want to screw up my Valentine surprise, and be in the dog house for the rest of the year.. So changed the plans, and moved out MNIK watching for a later date..
THE MOVIE - MNIK - Nomadic Journey from San Francisco to Sacramento
Here are my scattered thoughts about the movie:
One rarely hears SRK talking about doing research for his character, and going to town with that. For MNIK he did both, and i think the disciplined approach to the role shows in the movie. He has delivered a very good performance as Rizwan with lot of consistency through out the movie. I would rate this is as his best performance to date.
(Individual Score = 4.5)
Kajol as Mandira has ably supported SRK, but that’s just about it. For a Kadz fan in me, it was a disappointment. She has acted as though she walked off from K3G sets. Her mannerisms and interaction with her son in the movie is so K3Gish. Her Screams were very jarring. OFC she has excelled in emotional scenes.
(Individual Score = 3.0)
Technically the movie is of a high calibre. Especially, Ravi Chandran has done a marvelous job of capturing the city by the Bay, in all its magnificent splendor. Editing is good within the context of lack of screenplay (more about it later). Background score is passable.
(Individual Score = 4.0)
Post K3G, Karan has been trying to move towards serious contemporary cinema and his sincerity shows in MNIK. He clearly lacks touch and vision and it shows in the second half. Second half is very poorly executed.
(Individual Score = 2.0)
Rizwan who could “repair anything” probably could not repair the script. Shibani has continued her downward spiral as a script writer with MNIK.
(Individual Score = 1.5)
Overall the movie did not live up to my lowered expectations. First half of the movie was like driving through the Mojave desert. Flat and emotionless, even though there were few good moments and chemistry between SRK & Kajol was exceptional, as usual.
Second half of the movie was like driving DOWN the CROOKED street (in SF). The journey part of the movie is its biggest letdown. The timeline of the journey has been unnecessarily extended to include most recent political events in US, and hurricane episode just did not fit in.
In short, it is a movie of many missed opportunities. I feel for SRK who has delivered an exceptional performance only to be let down by other aspects of the movie.
Rating: 3 STARS (4.5 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 1.5 = 15/25)
AFTER THE EVENT
As Rizwan Khan starts to shake his hands with the POTUS and the end credit starts to roll, my mind starts going into over drive. Usually, the walk from the theatre to the car is the toughest 5 min walk of life, if the movie is NOT to the Spouse's liking. More so if i am the ONE who chose the movie.
Then as we are about to walk out of the unreal world, light bulb goes again (trust me, it does not happen too often) in my head. I immediately act upon it. Placed a call to the Baby sitter who was taking care of the Lil one...and was hoping that she will stay on the line till we reach home... Luck was on my side I guess, as i was talking, the better half took over the phone to talk.. and i got home before the end of conversation. For the rest of the day, it was all about Lil one at home, and thus i thought i had dodged the 'bullet'.
Now i had to do something to avoid any reference to MNIK... Worked out a plan, and told the better half.. "I have a surprise" Response - "Oh yeah". Me – “Yes i will take you to a place and show you something which you never seen before, just like Rizwan did :)”.. "Ok. Will wait" is the response.
One fine afternoon took the family to workplace and then took the better half to the open patio on the 25th floor.. and asked her "Had you seen this before ?" showing the overview of the bay :-)
It worked, and here i am narrating my life story.
DISCLAIMER: All the characters and incidents in BEFORE and AFTER THE EVENT are fictitious and any resemblance to any real people and real incidents are intentional.
Will Bollywood ever get to portray Muslim characters realistically in its films?
He used to be omnipresent in the psyche of Bollywood and made his presence felt in every other Hindi film. The benign Muslim with a beard and a prayer cap, ever ready to extend a helping hand to the protagonist in distress. He dispensed charity, advice and wisdom about the almighty with the same serene look on his face. He turned all the more important if the film had a Muslim as the villain. That blasphemy had to be balanced out with this symbol of purity and virtue.
Remember the all-time favourite Sholay and how the grandfather, played by a wizened A.K. Hangal, recalled that it was time for his namaaz immediately after the discovery of the brutal murder of his grandson. He is the best prototype of this symbolic representation given to India's largest minority in films. That is unless the movie belonged to that quaint farcical genre called the “Muslim Social”. The men in these films paraded in ornamental sherwanis, the women in colourful ghararas and spouted romantic sher and shairi at the drop of a hat. We don't know when and where this caricature disappeared from our national pastime.
New stereotypes
Only to be replaced by another kind of unrealistic depiction. The latest avatar of the reigning superstar in My name is Khanis an example of this non-change. Rizwan Khan suffers from Asperger's syndrome that in lesser mortals would translate into a challenge that is defined by low social skills and a deep aversion to loud noises, certain colours and lack of structure. In Karan Johar's latest popcorn venture parading as serious cinema, the character played by Shah Rukh Khan, miraculously translates these disadvantages into a kind of relentless nobility. He spells out to everyone he meets in the American streets “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist.” Only the President of the world's “greatest” democracy gets the better of him. On meeting Khan, he declares immediately “Your name is Khan and you are not a terrorist,” before Khan can do the honours.
Maybe Johar was exorcising his guilt while making the film. After all, in Kurbaan, the last venture he produced under his banner, all the “Khans” turned out to be terrorists, including the mother who until then had escaped critical scrutiny by Bollywood directors. In the holy cows propagated by Indian cinema, “Maa” has always come first, unless she turned out to be sauteli. And here was this matriarch played by Kiran Kher transformed into a ruthless suicide bomber with a filmy pathan accent. Johar and his debut director got inspired by a Hollywood flop, Arlington Road and vested their version with religious bias. The result was a deeply flawed film that broke every norm of political correctness.
The female protagonist is a Hindu professor teaching in a university in New York who gets tricked into marrying a Muslim terrorist. He, along with his family, puts her under house arrest the moment she chances on his nefarious plans, leading to the most disturbing denouement seen in a Hindi film in recent times. He is shot dead by the authorities and his wife's grief-stricken face teases the audience in a close up. She is mourning a man who has deceived her at every turn, threatened to kill her father and reacted humanly only when he finds out she is carrying “his” baby. The prevailing thread in the film is the righteous Hindu wife and her evil in-laws. The family has turned out that way because some of its members have either been tortured or killed by the white American regime.
A few months before Kurbaan released, there had been another Hindi film, New York, that trod on a similarly problematic premise. But at least in that one, the mantle of the virtuous was also worn by the Muslim friend like in the films of yore. Mercifully, the tokenism was very much in place to balance the new disturbing trend.
The subliminal message in all these films is that terrorism results out of a sense of personal vengeance. The Islamic terrorist has been ravaged by the hegemony of the US and wants to get even by killing innocents. None of these films try to reflect on the phenomenon of terrorism intelligently. What did Iraq and Afghanistan have to do with the siege of Bombay last year? But it is tricky for a Bollywood film to go there. Our desi mainstream directors are likely to balk at the idea of terrorism being spawned by truths closer at home like the Babri Masjid demolition or the Gujarat riots.
Clever positions
It is only by design and not accident that a New York or a Kurbaan unfolds in the American context. The two feuding parties, the white American population as well as the Islamic terrorists, can be perceived as adversaries by the Indian audience. So the makers get to be like the clever monkey who decided to settle the feud between the two cats and gobbled the cake himself.
THREE YEARS AGO Karan Johar TOLD SHOMA CHAUDHURY THAT HE WAS DISSATISFIED WITH HIS SLEWOF HITS AND THAT HE HAD NOT YET MADE A FILM HE WAS PROUD OF. WITH HIS LATEST FILM, MY NAME IS KHAN, THE MAN WHO WAS ONCE A BYWORD FOR THE BIG AND SPLASHY WEDDING, MAKES A VERY PUBLIC SHIFT. IN THIS NEW INTERVIEW, HE TALKS OF THE UNEXPECTED CHANGES THAT THE MAKING OF THE FILM AND THE AFTERMATH HAD ON HIS SENSE OF SELF AND CINEMA. EXCERPTS:
There’s been a big shift of concern in the kind of films you are making — whether it is Kurbaan, Wake Up Sid or My Name Is Khan. Is this a conscious transition?
Karan Johar: A few filmmakers — only Adi [Aditya Chopra] and me actually — have been part of a transition in cinema. When Ashutosh [Gowarikar] made Lagaan, he hadn’t catered to the audience before, he had only made a couple of films. He immediately brought in a new sensibility. Farhan’s first film also brought in this new cool. While we had catered to a certain kind of cinegoer’s demands in the 1990s and then saw the evolution of the audience. I feel the need to adapt with the times. I had done a lot of films that were internal experiences, and as a filmmaker to challenge myself I felt the need to do something that yanks me out of my comfort zone. And as a producer I go by the diktats of the young minds I put my faith in — whether it’s Tarun Mansukhani who wanted to make Dostana, a rom-com with a mild edge or an Ayan Mukherjee who wanted to direct a coming-of-age film Wake Up Sid or Rensil D’Silva who chose to make a film on global terrorism. This year we have a quintessential date flick coming up called I Hate Love Stories and the official adaptation ofStepmom. These are not necessarily pathbreaking films but extremely warm mainstream endeavours. For myself this phase is going to stay because I’m in a different headspace from when I made Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (KKHH) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (KKKG).
So these new concerns are not just about adapting to your environment, but also something personal?
Of course it is. Cinema is a reflection of your own state of mind. So I felt different when I directed KKHH and I feel totally different today — whatever you feel will reflect on celluloid and I don’t feel like I want to do something I’ve done before. I felt boredom had crept into my work.
The last time you and I spoke, you said you wished you could adopt a different name because of people’s expectations of your cinema.
I’m glad I may have kind of broken the shackles of my own perceived image. In media branding when they referred to a KJo film it was associated with terms like gloss, popcorn, glamour, mush, bubblegum, which were almost hurled at me like weapons — I felt like I was slotted too soon which was complimentary in a way but also annoying. You can’t slot me with two to three films, wait for two decades. With Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna I felt there was a shift in the perception, but now with My Name Is Khan (MNIK) I feel there is no way that I can be slotted in a category.
‘I’VE NEVER MADE A FILM I’M PROUD OF’
KKKG is all about me trying to show off, nothing else. It’s me saying, look, I’ve put up this big set; look, I’ve put up this star cast; they’re wearing beautiful clothes, look, look, look. Today I’ve become a school of cinema, whether you like it or hate it.
Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna was my attempt to break my own mould. But what I did wrong was blend in some of my old need for opulence and scale and a star cast. I should have stuck to my initial thought, my first instinct, which was to make it an intimate drama of two couples.
My gut and my spine is commercial, so no matter what, even while experimenting, I’ll always be mainstream. I sit here and visualise myself in my Armani suit, walking with my mother on the red carpet in LA, entering the Kodak Theatre, sitting in the twentieth row, hearing my nomination, getting the award, going up and ending my speech with, this is for you India. I have it all planned. But I will never make a two-hour film without songs, which might bore my country, just to achieve that.
I’ve never made a film that I can proudly say is my film, that I can proudly tell people, did you see Lagaan, I made it. Or, did you see Rang De Basanti, I made it. I haven’t made that film yet, but I will.
Sometimes my name hinders a film, because audiences come thinking there’ll be a lovely shaadi song. That worries me. I’ll have to strategise the promotion very cleverly — make it very clear that this is me — Karan. (laughs) Karan Trivedi maybe, or Saxena or Karan Thapar — anything, but not Karan Johar.
excerpts
PREVIOUS CONVERSATION
What triggered MNIK for you?
What annoyed me was when intelligent, educated, affluent people talked nonsense. That really riled me. A conversation I had with people I met in New York over dinner upset me. It was not said but there was an undertone of complete racial assault which put me off. I have a problem with generalisation and putting people into boxes. At a political and human level. Even if they’re just saying ‘fat people are sweet’ or ‘short people can’t be trusted’ I have a problem when people make statements like this. You cannot generalise one community or religion, it goes against the grain of humanity. A certain amount of general goodness has been forgotten with the cynicism of our times. I feel very strongly the need to address it as a filmmaker. Addressing the issue of the identity of the Muslim in the modern world was one way to address the human community at large.
That conversation triggered off the thought process. Then I went back and researched with various organisations that protect minority rights in America. My story was different then. Then we realised the simplicity of the plot would seem artificial if we went down the typical route. We had to go through a man not of our times, whose mind was not cluttered with what our minds are usually full of. We may have romanticised the character. He has Asperger’s Syndrome which is high functioning autism and he sees life very differently, sees things literally. So he comes from a place of innocence and vulnerability.
It gives a place for the social constructs to fall away
Zarina Wahab’s character — Rizwan Khan’s mother — her philosophy could be extremely simplistic to some and deeply profound to others.
When you were doing this research, did it politicise you, change you?I felt the need to engage myself with what was happening globally. It opened my headspace up to so much. When you do this kind of research the information that you get isn’t just facts, you feel it, you’re associating it with your own film – so it made me passionate towards what was happening in the world.
Karan Johar has been signed for a cameo in the Nikhil Advani production Jaane Kahaan Se Aayi Hai. The My Name Is Khan director will play himself in the film, starring Ruslan Mumtaz and directed by Milap Zaveri. According to Milap, Ruslan plays a superstar and Karan will praise him in the film. Apparently, they wanted a well-known director for the role and Karan was their natural choice. Karan has already shot his scenes.
Farah Khan has already shot for her guest appearance in the same film, in which she plays a director. Milap and Nikhil have also roped in Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Akshay Kumar to play cameos in the film.
World's first ever Bollywood film to be released in cinemas with audio description (AD)
February 23, 2010 /India PRwire/ -- 'My Name is Khan' has made cinema history by becoming the first ever Bollywood film to be released in cinemas with audio description (AD). Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) worked with 20th Century Fox to achieve this milestone after its research among blind or partially sighted people of Asian origin found that over 55 per cent of respondents were more likely to watch Bollywood films if AD was provided.
AD is as important to blind and partially sighted people as subtitles are to those with hearing problems. It is an additional narration that fits between passages of dialogue to describe action sequences, body language, costume and scenery, allowing the viewer to understand exactly what is happening on screen. 'My Name is Khan' is also the first film to feature AD in Hindi, the language of the film.
Martin Bromfield, Executive Director at Twentieth Century Fox says: "20th Century Fox is proud to offer, for the first time ever, a Hindi AD track on 'My Name is Khan'. English speaking AD has been available on all our films for some time now, so we felt it was natural to progress and offer Hindi AD on our first collaboration with Bollywood. With help from RNIB and Deluxe Digital Studios we worked hard to create an English audio descriptive track which was then translated before being recorded by a Hindi speaking audio describer, in time for the second week of release."
Fazilet Hadi, Director Inclusive Society, RNIB says: "Around 700 films are produced by Bollywood every year, and our research tells us that blind and partially sighted fans want AD on these films. So we're delighted that Fox have worked with us to allow blind and partially sighted people to enjoy this much-anticipated release along with their sighted family and friends. We hope other studios will follow Fox's lead making 'My Name is Khan' the first of many audio described Bollywood films."
Jimmy wasn't seen much in the promos, I don't know how much footage he has in the movie, but I am a Jimmy fan.
It's been a week since Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan released and while the film is breaking records and earning praise for the performance of its main protagonists played by Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, three is yet another actor who is quietly basking in the adulation coming his way. We are talking about the talented and versatile Jimmy Sheirgill who once again excels in a strong character role playing SRK's younger brother. Bollywood Hungama's Nikhil Ramsubramaniam got in touch with Jimmy and spoke to him about MNIK and his forthcoming films. Read on!
When My Name Is Khan opened last Friday, a lot of people were surprised to see you in the film since you were not seen in the promos at all. What do you have to say about that? Well...these things do not bother me. The strategy of who should feature in the promos and who shouldn't is entirely the makers' prerogative. Everyone knew that SRK and Kajol are the main protagonists of the film. Having said that, right from when I was offered the film, I knew I had an important role- that of Shah Rukh's younger brother and I am glad I took it up. It always helps being a part of such a big film. I have been getting tremendous feedback and am really thankful to Karan for considering me for this role.
You have worked with some big directors like Gulzar saab, Aditya Chopra, Raju Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. How was it working with Karan Johar for the first time? I've wanted to work with Karan for a long time. In fact whenever we met, he used to tell me that when I have a suitable role for you I'll call you. So when I got a call for My Name Is Khan, I was really excited. As soon as I heard the script, I knew that I had to be a part of this film since the story had so much to say and plus it gave me an opportunity to work with Karan for the first time ever.
You starred with Shah Rukh in Mohabbatein, which was among your first few films, almost 10 years ago. How was it re-uniting with him after such a long time? Shah Rukh has not changed one bit since the time we worked in Mohabbatein. I call him 'Superman' because there is nothing that is Impossible for him. He still exudes the same kind of enthusiasm and energy which he had almost 10 years ago and that is something which is truly remarkable. He is always concerned about the people he works with and was just like an elder brother to me on the sets.
Your co-star Soniya Jehan has also been appreciated a lot for her act. How was it working with her? Fantastic...not just Soniya, every member of the cast knew exactly what his / her role was and gave 100%. Under Karan's guidance, the whole unit was completely focused and yet totally at ease.
A lot of actors shy away from doing supporting roles as they feel that it would affect their prospects of bagging a solo hero project. You, on the other hand, have been doing both solo hero films and multi-starrers simultaneously… You are right...Right from my early days; I never had any inhibitions about the length of my role or any insecurity of being over-shadowed by any bigger actor. Be it in Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai or Eklavya, I have always done roles which may not be big in terms of length but are big in terms of impact. I believe that a role should be exciting enough to hold my interest and that is the only criteria I look at before signing a film. You are currently shooting for yet another multi-starrer Excel Entertainment's Crooked. What kind of a film is that? Crooked is a superb thriller directed by a very talented new director Abhinay Deo. There are a lot of brilliant actors like Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani, Anupam Kher etc... The film has quite a few parallel tracks running which are intertwined in a strange way. Since it's a thriller, I can't reveal much about the film but I'll say that I have a kick ass role. It's the kind of role I have never done before.
Besides Crooked, what else do you have in your kitty? There is Johnny Mastana which is a gripping drama directed by Shoojit Sircar and stars Amitabh Bachchan, Dia Mirza etc. The film is complete and the producers UTV will be deciding on the release date soon. There is also Anjum Rizvi's Flat which is a very slick and stylish supernatural thriller starring Sanjay Suri and I. It is one of the most original stories that I have come across in the thriller genre. Besides these, I also have a Punjabi film Mel Kara De Rabba which should release sometime in April.
It is a late review of the film, so I am not writing everything about it. Most of the things have already been said about the film, so I don’t think it makes much sense to revisit them. The review might have a few spoilers as it describes a few scenes in the film.
For a change we have an Indian film where a character is suffering from a disease but we don’t have any lectures, or doctors giving lectures, on how the character would behave. SRK simply plays the role and lets the people understand on their own the behavior of the disease by seeing the mannerisms of the lead actor and hearing his voice-overs. The disease was never highlighted in the film and I really liked that fact very much.
Karan Johar tried to do something different in this film while still managing to bring in the right emotions. There is lot of emotional manipulation done in the film mostly in the second half. We can see Rizwan Khan feeling the pain of losing Sameer especially in the church scene in Georgia where he speaks about Sameer. SRK delivered a very powerful performance in the scene where he had to express sadness but could not cry because he had Asperger’s. He smiles while mentioning his son’s death and yet he manages to express his sadness. We can see tears in his eyes that were not able to come out because of his condition. In the penultimate scene where he finally meets Kajol in the hospital, a drop of tear that was waiting to come out for a long time finally drops from his eyes. So, even though the film had made some sacrifices when it came to the disease, it was very rich in emotions and worked well for me.
My Name is Khan may not be a perfect film, but it is a very brave effort by the team who almost pulled off 3/4 of the movie very well. There were some unwarranted moments like product placement of Reebok shoes in the film or the introduction of the lead characters in a suspenseful way. I don’t think that suited a serious film like MNIK at all. I don’t know what was the need for President Obama’s role in the film and if it would have mattered if SRK meets President Bush instead of President Obama. Introduction of Obama’s role unnecessarily extended the time period in the film from 2005 to 2008. Also I didn’t quite agree with the job of salesman that Rizwan Khan was asked by his brother to do. I read that autistic people don’t like meeting new people, but the job of salesman is nothing but meeting new people.
Also I don’t agree much with the screenplay of the film. I don’t think the film deserved a non-linear screenplay. It was a kind of film which should have been told in a sequential order so that the reason of the journey is clearer to the audience. It is clear to those who have seen the trailers of the film, but a few years from now, for a person who is completely unaware of the film and catches it on DVD, the non-linear timeline might not work too well.
Let's begin with the title, rumoured originally to be called 'Khan' to fit in with the previous set of Karan Johar films that all started with the letter 'K'. From Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna he has maintained this for over a decade. So, when the title was announced as 'My Name is Khan', it was fair to say that something had changed. Karan was leaving superstitions behind him and focussing efforts on making something that spoke for itself.
Synopsis
Rizvan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) is a Muslim man from India who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, he moves to San Francisco and lives with his brother and sister-in-law. He falls in love with a Hindu girl Mandira (Kajol) and despite protests from his family marries her, starting a small business together. They are happy until the events of September 11, 2001 when attitudes towards Muslims undergo a sea-change. As unfortunate events unfold, Mandira has an outburst of guilt, sorrow & desperation where she decides to split with Rizvan. Unable to understand her reasoning, Rizvan, confused & very upset that the love of his life has left him, embarks on this inspiring journey across America to win her back. The film begins with him already on this journey, feeding us the history behind it through narration and flashback sequences, so when I say he is on a mission to regain his love, we get to learn of how this love came about, how this journey began, beginning from the beginning with his own childhood.
It is fair to say Khan is a common enough surname in the Islamic community as a Smith or Jones in the Western world. So when our protagonist sets on his mission to meet the President of the United States to pass the message "My Name is Khan, and I am not a terrorist", there's no need to spell it out, it symbolises a bold message. From the released trailers and footage it would be rather easy to draw the conclusion that it's a story of an average Joe, labeled a terrorist because of his name, out to prove his innocence, but in truth it's not. It's about an unconventional hero overcoming obstacles to regain the love of his life.
Some thoughts:
Firstly, I'd like to say my heart goes out to all the people of Mumbai who are having problems getting to see this stress-free in theatres. If I was out there I would still be going to see it bindaas. I stand by SRK, he has no reason to apologise for anything & should not be bullied this way by the 'supposed' government.
As the character in the film emphasises on numerous occasions, the pronunciation of the name 'Khan' requires the use of your Epiglottis and amusingly I've heard many mispronounce it even when asking for the tickets. Living in a country dominated by westerners, we often give into compromising our identities. Whether it be the pronunciation of our names, our appearance, being open about our belief systems, etc. Where should the line be drawn? This is the question that I felt this film raises.
It suggests a very straightforward and simple solution. People should only be grouped into two types, those who do good & those who do otherwise. Should people not be perceived for their actions rather than their upbringing? I mean, sure, the events of 9/11 certainly scarred the fragile fibre of the cross-culture environment that we had formed over many decades, but I'd say it's every average Joe's responsibility to try to 'Repair Almost Anything'. It is a strong and clear message, for if we all collectively don't try, what hope do we have?
The film uses an example of Rizvan to show that even someone with a disabling condition can achieve a lot, so the average people have no excuse at all. It's an inspiring tale. Some might say it's a little late to be making such propaganda / statements, but is it ever? I think the very same applies to Mumbai this very day, just on a different background, same issue.
Review
This is the best Karan Johar film to date. He's certainly matured over the years. With the aid of Shibani Bathija's bold screenplay we have ourselves here a pretty epic film. It only helps that such a film is being backed up & distributed by 20th Century Fox. Does it live up to the expectations and hype? In a nutshell, Yea' m0stly it does. m0stly.
The only main disappointment here is that it's so close to being perfect that the parts that rough up the edges really do sting. It's difficult to spell them out without getting spoiler-ridden, so I'll avoid detail, but I definitely think it could have been shorter & some events could have been better handled, for there are parts that could have packed a better punch with lesser detail & the exact opposite problem holds of a certain pre-climax event which could have been handled more realistically & sensitively. The event was arguably unnecessary, and if considered necessary, it could have been built up to better.
Another example of handling things sensitively is SRK's appearance, he only seems to be dressed in traditional garments with his hat ad such in the scenes where it is required for some drama, he doesn't normally dress this way (even when he was in India). Having some integrity here would have enhanced the point, but they did manage to get this point across with his bhabhi (brother's wife).
Intermission I found a little oddly placed. Usually I tend to see Hindi flicks designed in 2 halves. In this instance at Interval point I was wondering why they stopped, which is rare, there's generally always a good stopping point, in fact I thought 2 scenes later would have been ideal, but okay this isn't really that large an issue.
Then there are the theatre pieces. Some scenes played out as though they were independent to the film, such as the 'Funny Hair Joel and Mama Jenny' episode. The scenes work, but it felt like it was missing some gelling to the rest of the film. Having that happen seemed 'too' co-incidental. Some little justification of how he lands up in a small place like Wilhelmina would have been tidier.
It's quite likely the things I'm mentioning here won't concern you at all, but they bothered me enough to consider mentioning. As I've said above, the film is almost perfect, so don't let these comments deter you, the positive factors are far far higher than these little nuisances.
Ooh .. one final pet peeve I've always had & I'm not even sure it's the film-makers fault is 'english subtitles', do them or leave them but don't half do them. The songs lacked subtitles, and for those who need the subs, they're losing out on a whole dimension here.
I'll mention a few of the things that were good about the film now. :)
It doesn't waste time getting it's point made. The crowd wolf-whistled in the first 5 minutes as the line was delivered.. 'My Name is Khan & I am not a terrorist'. From this point it gets straight to telling us about the character, his history and the pace moves swiftly. You get to Intermission before you even know it. In this time you have learned enough about the characters and situation for you to care how the man's journey progresses.
In the latter half when the focus shifts to the actual journey, you are moved by each hurdle he encounters. Binding your viewer this way is the magic of great writing here.
The Music is entirely situational and suited for the theme of the film, only 3 songs have been integrated into the narrative, Tere Naina and Sajda in the first half bringing our beloved pair together and getting their married life kicked off respectively. Noor-e-Khuda in the latter half progressing the road trip journey of Khan. All three integrate seamlessly. I was a little disappointed to see Rang De omitted from the film, but keeping my eyes open on the deleted scenes on the video release. It's to be noted that unlike traditional Bollywood there's no lip-sync song and dance here, it's all background music, which has worked well. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy who have done the music also do the background score, which is equally impressive. I could not help but re-play the Khan Theme (Instrumental) when I reached my car.
Performances
The film belongs to Shah Rukh Khan, his portayal of Rizvan is nothing short of spectacular. I myself don't know much about Autism, but there's no denying that he has made a very conscious and effective effort to be different in this film. I noted that he doesn't make eye contact with anyone in the whole film. It's almost hard to digest that this 'is' the SRK that we have seen before. Known for his conventional hero roles in recent years, this couldn't have been any more different. In recent times the only comparison I can make to this sort of departure is Mr. Bachchan in Paa (who was equally impressive). I guess this won't affect those seeing him for the first time but it takes a while adjusting to SRK in this role. Though it is hands down one of his finest performances to date, it felt odd that he wasn't playing a superstar traditional hero.
Kajol is one of the few actresses that can hold her own in front of personalities like Shah Rukh who tend to command attention chewing up the screen whenever present & I imagine this is precisely why they are seen as one of the best pairs in Hindi film history. The pair work very well, but she does get pushed into the background a little in the latter half. There were times where she seemed to go overboard in the trailer, in the film I felt it was justified though. The supporting cast all-round were ace, from Jimmy Shergill to Vinak Pathak, I have to mention, it was also good to see for once that the American actors seemed to be decent. Even in Karan's last installment I felt I was seeing a bunch of extras that were clueless what was going on, we've surpassed that hurdle this time.
Overall Impressions This is a large stride in the right direction for Indian cinema. It's not flawless but it's certainly well worth the watch. 3.75 out of 5.
February 11, 2010
He's the biggest movie star in the world. Because even if you never heard of Shah Rukh Khan, a billion people in India — and more across the Middle East, Africa and beyond — certainly have. He's the biggest draw in the outrageously oversized films that come from the Hindi-film industry often called Bollywood.
How big a draw is that? More people around the world watch Shah Rukh Khan than Meryl Streep or Brad Pitt. Maybe Meryl Streep and Brad Pitt. His film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, made in 1995, is still playing in one Mumbai cinema.
"In India, the films are not looked upon just as entertainment," Khan says. "They're a way of life.
And Shah Rukh Khan has made them his life. At age 44, he owns a production company and is host of India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. And he keeps starring in Bollywood productions — films that get shown everywhere from remote Indian villages to multiplexes in New York.
In some ways, that broad distribution requires a certain style of filmmaking.
"The idea is that you have to some way make a film that appeals to my 90-year-old grandmother and to the 9-year-old kid," Khan says. "So it's like a cabaret. Like, I have a couple of films written by American guys, and I bring them back to Mumbai, make them sit down. And then I ... say: 'OK, here's the song, and here's the mother.' 'But there's no mother in the film.' And I say, 'There has to be a mother in the film.'"
In movies that commonly last three hours, Khan might howl his lines, with his hair flying everywhere. He may dance on the roof of a moving train. It comes with the territory.
"People talk about Bollywood being very kitsch," he acknowledges, "and just songs and dances. And over the top and colorful."
But in his latest production, being released the U.S. Feb. 12, he's not doing anything quite that over-the-top. He plays a Muslim man with Asperger's syndrome, who's driven after the events of Sept. 11 to constantly repeat a single explosive phrase:
"My name is Khan, and I'm not a terrorist."
From A Real-Life Horror, 'The Butterfly Effect' For Two Innocents
A Muslim star in a mostly Hindu country, Khan says he's always been interested in challenge of starting from a real-life incident and weaving a fictional story around it.
"And there is an aspect of Islam that needs to be addressed now," he says. "Otherwise this demarcation, this divide we keep on increasing. So I just thought we should have a message about a film with humanity. Just goodness."
In one way, Khan says, his character is speaking for millions of Muslims with that startling sentence.
Enlarge
Shah Rukh Khan and director Karan Johar on location
"Yes and no — because the line is actually very emotional," he says. "People who are autistic or have Aspergers have a compulsive behavior. ... He just gets this line in his head, and compulsively keeps saying, "My name is Khan and I'm not a terrorist. And it's a more emotional thing."
The movie, he says, isn't really about Sept. 11, or about terrorism. It's a love story. It's about "the butterfly effect of an incident like this."
"That you know, two people who are actually unrelated to an incident somewhere in the world and how their lives and their love changes, and gets completely thwarted."
Soon after he finished filming My Name is Khan, India's biggest film star almost found himself thwarted. On a visit to the United States, he was detained and questioned for two hours at U.S. immigration. The incident made front-page headlines across India.
"I didn't react to it as vehemently as I think everyone people back home did," Khan says. Because I'm used to it. You know, my name is Khan, really. And I'm sent to the other side, which is okay. I don't make a big issue out of it."
Others were more offended, though Khan makes a joke of it now.
"The foreign minister in India said that, you know, we also are going to do the same to the Western world people when they come," Khan says. "So I said, 'Give me the chance to frisk Angelina Jolie if she comes to India, please. I should be the first one to try this.'"
'Our Fantasies Are Very Real'
My Name Is Khan isn't like most of Shah Rukh Khan's other films. Most of them, for one thing, are primarily as secular in character — while most audiences might well presume that he's playing playing a Hindu character, that character's religion isn't central to the plot.
But Khan says it wasn't a particular risk for him to make a movie about an explicitly Muslim character.
"As far as the public is concerned, India is amazingly secular. ... I am a Muslim, but I am a leading star for the last 20 years, so if you just go by that, there is no issue ever. ...
There are vested interests who will always bring that up to provoke people, which I guess keeps happening everywhere."
What the movie has in common with many Bollywood fantasies is this: Khan's character comes to America.
"I say this to everyone: Our fantasies are about earning a good living," he says. "Having maybe a car — not two. Getting an education for your kids. Our fantasies are not about getting to be president of the country, to sit in a rocket and go and break a meteor. Our fantasies are very real.
"As a matter of fact," he continues, "I find the Western cinema very fantastic. You've got aliens. And you've got things we don't know about. ... Blue creatures. You have Batman, you have Superman. I remember the first time I was here — someone interviewing me in a hotel, and they said, 'Your films are such fantasies.'
"And I'm like, We are fantasies? Our guys just want to sing and dance on the roads. Our guys just want to drive a big car. Our guys just want to come to America. You know, we don't want to go to Pandora. ... America is our Pandora."
Stars of My Name is Khan Rings The NASDAQ Stock Market Opening Bell
PICS -
SRK @ On The Couch With Koel
SRK in Indore
SRK at his Funniest Best
SRK NDTV Interview -
SRK and K Jo at My Name is Khan tie up with Century Ply
PICS -
SRK on GQ Cover
Khan ka salaam pyaar ke naam contest
Gone In 60 Seconds - 25 Things Not To Ask Shah Rukh Khan
Karan's Korner Promo
Music Ka Maha Muqabla - Shahrukh Khan - Part 1
Kajol and SRK greet viewers in New Zealand
SRK to host IIPM Quiz
IIPM is all set to host its celebrated International B-School Quiz- ‘DARE 2010’, the first ever International Business & Marketing Quiz in association with 4Ps (India’s truly Global Business and Marketing Magazine), in Bengaluru in the month of February 2010.
In keeping with the tradition of IIPM’s various global academic projects and initiatives, the institute is expanding the scope of the event to an International level in order to establish Dare‘10 as an international meeting ground for the very best of the planet’s business and management students to meet, ideate & vie for honors while challenging their marketing wits and acumen.
This event is not only a celebration of the intellectual might of some of the world’s best trained management students but is also a platform for them to share cultural and intellectual insights that create a unique synergy across borders and B-schools.
Bollywood star, Shah Rukh Khan has managed to land an appearance on mainstream chatshow, 'Friday Night With Jonathan Ross'.
He will appear on the BBC One show a week prior to the release of his blockbuster movie, 'My Name Is Khan'.
It will be the first time a Bollywood personality will be seen on the show talking openly about the release of his upcoming movie release. Previously, Shilpa Shetty was seen on the show after her 'Celebrity Big Brother' win.
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly has also been confirmed as a guest of the same show.
The episode will air on Friday 5th February at 22:35 on BBC One.
Incidentally, the BBC Asian Network announced yesterday that it was holding a day dedicated to the superstar on the same day the Jonathan Ross episode is aired.
Join Raj and Pablo in conversation with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. Be part of the audience with the chance to ask your favourite Bollywood star questions. Due to the popularity of this recording, we are operating a random draw. You can enter the random draw until Friday 29 January at 1am. No applications will be accepted after this date and time. You can apply for a maximum of two tickets per household.
