First of all I only watch Bollywood movies when they pair-up Kajol and Sharukh Khan (SRK). I love them paired-up in Dilwale Dulhania Diljayenge, Kuch Kuch Hotae, and Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Gham. My Name is Khan is directed again by Karan Johar who indeed directed these duo film stars, Kajol as Mandira Khan and SRK as Rizvan Khan. Hey, what can I say, when I see these two in a film , I got hooked. So, any movies starring these two definitely a worth watching movie. In My Name is Khan, I love their chemistry and I think SRK delivered his acting well as a person who's got Asperger syndrome. I can see his awkwardness,weirdness,strong belief, and real expressions whenever he delivered his lines. I'd say it's the most fav film I've watched in 2010! Despite the asperger and love theme, I do agree the importance of Moslem Portrayal in US, as a second citizen and now the portrayal also shifted into "the enemy" since 9/11 incident. The movie covered a lot of issues, the man who's got an asperger syndrome then fell in love, and getting married with the different religion, and how Moslem is portrayed in America, and last but not least the humanity part.
I would say that the way the media portrays "Moslem" religion might cause this biased view among countries that have Moslem minority as their citizens. I mean, what the media portray are mostly the violent, never ending war between Iraq and Iran and all the terrorist attack that bombarded not just US but also Moslem based countries, such as Indonesia. It's like news coverage just brought up the news on the negativity of "moslem" which is always related with terrorist, since the terrorists are Moslem. Moreover the terrorists are the extreme version of moslem and not a true Moslem, because Islam always teaches kindness not violence, the same with every religion teaches their people. from what I know the number of Terrorist are only small, a very tiny small from all the Moslem poeple in the world. I, as a moslem would like the media to protray more of a true moslem perception and points of view on how they want to fit in the world or in the country they want to live in, with harmony among the other religion and a sense of togetherness when the terrorists attack the non moslem country,which not also hurting the country itself and the opinion of the world towards Islam, but it also hurts True Moslem that the terrorist attacks means a disgrace towards all Moslem people.
In the film My Name is Khan, another topic emerged about a person who has asperger syndrom that can live "normal" in the society. I have no knowledge at all for asperger characteristic, but I know that SRK had delivered the character well. There were funny moments on how Rizvan Khan who had asperger can honestly say what he wanted to say in a naive and innocent way, for example; when the first time he wanted to have sex with his wife,Mandira, yet they haven't done anything, and Mandira said that a married couple should "do more" than just a hand holding, and Rizvan replied her by saying that he knew that they should do more because he has read a book "intercourse for the idiots". And another one when Mandira was cooking in the kitchen, Rizvan came home from work and came up to Mandira and asked her immediately to have sex. I would say that it was a spontaneous and honest request from someone who has asperger.
For all I know a Moslem, being married to another religion is forbidden. And yet, this film conveyed another message about marriage in different religion, which is Hindi and Islam.I might have a little knowledge about this different religion marriage, but the conflict of different religion marriage is not just about the "love" they share together, but mostly about the adjustment of principle. For example, in Islam, we have fasting month and the obligation to pray 5 times a day, while in Hindi or other religion have different kind of practice. But, the message of this story is not about "difference" but about "sharing". In the film, during the storm that cause a damage in Georgia, Rizvan Khan stayed with mama Jenny, who is a devoted Catholic. In this scene, it portrays the tolerance and respect of other religion (Islam and Catholic). It had the scene where Rizvan Khan can pray in "his own Islam prayer" in a church,and despite the different religion he had when he stayed in mama Jenny house (in Georgia, he helped the people in Georgia, no matter what their religion are. In the film, Rizvan can also do the praying 5 times day when his wife, Mandira does another Hindi prayer. In the film, Mandira did regret a bit for marrying Rizvan Khan because during that time, the 9/11 incident just happened, and Moslem's name were the target for terrorist suspicion. Khan is a family name for Moslem in mostly India, so because Mandira was married to Rizvan automatically she had "Khan" as her last name. This "Khan" last name became a conflict when Mandira's son (or Rizvan step son) got bullied in school because he had "Khan" name as his last name. The death of Mandira's son has cause conflict in the marriage when Mandira asked Rizvan to go out from their house, and Mandira asked Rizvan to come back when he can get the message to the President," My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist".
The media has the power to influence people though the pictures or the news delivered to the audiences. Hence, it is important to have this kind of movie (My Name is Khan) to portray the Moslem in a very human angle, that we, Moslem do help people no matter what the religion is.
And that we are part of the society, even though we are living with different religions, so when our humanity is challenged by natural disaster struck Georgia (just like in the movie Khan was very much attached with the family in Georgia, which is Mama jenny), we Moslem do will take action. I love the scene where Rizvan Khan prayed together in a church! I think that was the point also in the film, I mean, we pray together as a moslem and as a Catholic..no matter where the place and what incident happen, as long as they help each other. It really touched me, and I think it's a great message to be conveyed to the world.
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