My Name is Khan




 The movie My Name is Khan is a hindi-language film which was directed by Karan Johar. The movie features some of India's best actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol who played the leading roles in the movie. The movie is set before the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States of America as well as the events that took place after the 9/11 attacks especially from the Indian perspective. The film was also set in India and the United States.

The movie "My name is Khan" is about Rizwan Khan who is an autistic muslim. The movie opens to him in an airport as he seeks to meet the President of the USA, George Bush to speak to him. At the airport, he starts to pray in Arabic and this resulted in him being profiled by the authorities. As he was searched, with nothing to show that he was  a "terrorist", he informed the authorities of his mission to meet the President and to let him know that "my name is Khan and I am not a terrorist". The story demonstrates the love of a mother towards her son. Despite Khan living with autism, his mother always encouraged him and told him that all people are the same and the only differences that exist between people is good people and bad people. She encouraged her son to live with a scholar because she knew he was very smart. Upon the death of his mother, Khan had to leave India to stay in San francisco with his brother Zakir and his wife, Haseena who was a psychologist. It was she who diagnosed Khan as someone who has the Asperger Syndrome. Khan eventually met Mandira who had a son, Sameer from a previous relationship. Mandira was hindu. Khan fell in love with Mandira and decided to marry her. His brother informed him not to marry her as she was a hindu and thus, different from muslims. However, Khan went ahead and married Mandira. 

Then 9/11 happened.When 9/11 happened there was racial attacks on Arabs and Indians as most Americans through the media could not tell the difference between the two groups of people. It was in these times that Mark (an American), a friend of Mandira and Khan, whose son Reece was a friend to Sameer had to go to Afghanistan to cover the war. Mark died in Afghanistan and this affected the friendship between Sameer and Reece. Eventually, Sammer was attacked in school for being a muslim and this led to his death. In her grief, Mandira blamed Khan for the death of her son as it was because her son had his muslim surname Khan that made him the target of such attacks.In anger and sarcasm, she mentions that Khan and her should go their separate ways. The only condition under which she will return will be if Khan tells the world including the President of the USA that his name is Khan and he is not a terrorist.

The story highlights the different challenges Khan went through in his quest to meet the President. He was arrested when a crowd heard him say "My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist". The crowd thought he had said " I am a terrorist". At the end of the movie, the culprits who attacked Sameer were arrested. Mandira later joined Khan in Georgia and though he was stabbed, he survived and met Obama who told him what he had been trying to tell President Bush for the past years. That, "Your name is Khan and you are not a terrorist".

I really enjoyed every aspect of this movie. This movie depicts a clear case of stereotyping against a particular group and meting out racial attacks on the innocent. The media plays a key role in depicting all muslims to be terrorist. This influences the actions of people who tend to also act on such stereotypes. The movie reflects how people of all race and religion lived peacefully with one another and how an event changed the dynamics of such relationships.

One character I felt connected to was Mandira . This was a mother who was striving to take care of her child and she loved him so much as depicted in the film. For her to lose her only child in an attack in school is one that was very sad to watch. I do believe my feelings and actions would have been same as hers especially as it seemed she had everything going on so well till she married Khan.  One can only empathise with what she felt and understand why she made the pronouncement she made, that had she not married Khan such a tragedy would not have happened to her. Even though that statement was made out of pain and not necessarily the reality. It is unfortunate but it was in this statement, that pushed Khan to embark on his journey in a quest to let people know that just because he is a muslim does not make him a terrorist.

This was a great movie by all standards especially looking at post 9/11 through the lenses of an Indian muslim man who has autism. I highly recommend this movie.


References:

Khan, S. R., Kajol., Johar, H. Y., Khan, G., Johar, K., Bathija, S., & Iyengar, N. (2010). My name is Khan. Widescreen. Beverly Hills, Calif.: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.


Comments

  1. Tama'ita'i Samoa Journey15 November 2020 at 22:21

    Thank you for sharing your analyses Amanda, I love reading your blog and I do not want to end :) You have mentioned very important messages in the film such as the love of a mother for her son, mother will always protect and do what it is right for their children. Sounds like another good movie to watch.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OrionGate19 November 2020 at 10:38

    It was a true delight to read this film review! I felt sad for the unfortunate challenges Miranda as a mother. It remains me how blessed I'm to still have my mother alive and in whom I can trust no matter what , because I believe the love of a mother is the greatest blessing after Jesus Christ in someone's life !

    ReplyDelete
  3. DLV23 November 2020 at 16:25

    My Name is Khan shows the power of one. One person can make a difference in their sphere of influence.

    ReplyDelete

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