MNIK, World Peace and SRK’s Epiglottis!

So here it goes, as expected… about the one whose name is Khan… Khan, from the epiglottis, by the way! But before I do that I must confess that I am one of those shahrukh haters, who are actually Amir Lovers, (though not lover enough to be called a fan or anything…)

This very commonly unattractive looking Delhi boy came up to Mumbai and became King Khan (don’t forget the right pronunciation! Khan, that’s from the epiglottis!) And with his larger-than-life attitude, style and confidence he covered up for his inadequate frame and looks. About acting skills, it never marks for much in main stream bolly-flicks!

They seem to believe that if you stay stuck in the industry for long enough, you learn up to fool the cameras (and viewers) to think you can act…. And as you get exposed to better and better directors, naturally your acting skills (if there are traces of any) are honed and polished. Many of the Bollywood stars have been hopeless actors in the beginning….but with perseverance and most importantly zero sensitivity towards criticism; they learnt acting and stardom both….

So now this very same SRK has now come up with a new concoction of love and tears…. But so very unlike his usual brand! I have to confess that he seems to actually act these days…. At some points in the movie he was almost out of his silver celebrity-hood, being a real sensitive man out there! After years of toiling…..seems he is really a star enough to shine! He can repair almost anything, (he says so in the movie) and that includes his acting!

The movie has this whole big concept of universal love that goes beyond the fences of race, color and nationality. Terrorism is not born of any religion, but it is born of narrow minded, weak-heart, selfish people who are born in any nation, any race, any religion! The only difference that can be made amongst people is whether they are good or bad. It is the goodness of heart that makes man a man…..

The Karan Johar, Shahrukh Khan and Kajol trio seems to make justice to this really big concept. While defending the basic of religion, which is always humanity, they do not attack anyone else. Use of different verses from Koran Sharif has added great justification and sense of faith.

If you are little more mature than SRK, you will know that humanity, love and religion are not just so shallow as to choose between a bullet and a rose. humanity is only the first step… religion and faith are much deeper realms of truth than that to explore. But for a traveler on the road towards the truth, humanity is not a negligible milestone. It takes more than a human body, to become a human in true sense. And MNIK, though not high enough to cross the humanity, at least manages to touch it!

I will not discuss the story, though I must mention that it is structured very well. It is quick where it must be, and it lingers, giving emphasis at right points. Though you must put up with the melodrama part of bollywoodian culture! That is what makes a movie digestible to masses! And for Amir Khan Lovers, if you could stand the melodrama of 3 Idiots, SRK has dished out too little for your appetite!

But when it comes to screenplay, Shibani Bathija has managed to touch every nook of the concept, yet not make it sound like a documentary! Right from the references of Mumbai riots to 9/11, every reaction, every socio-cultural transform is captured well….that too, on a global scale. She has indeed managed to yield the best of story possible. In addition, there is also family bonding part (which cannot be forsaken by KJo!)

Knowing Karan Johar and the way he puts in money where he must, the cinematography and locations are very well done. It is not always Swiss meadows in the background! Arizona desert landscapes and dusty raw American locations make it look a lot more realistic than I expected from KJo! But he gets a negative marking for the set up of a village in Georgia. In some scenes it kind of shows up as a toy village indeed!

Overall, the big message and story rules out all the flaws and makes you watch the movie in rapt attention throughout. I would say make a point to watch it if you are not as busy as the President of America. And it is not much of a hindi film, considering most conversations go in English. And a special note, to watch this movie, you do not have to be a Khan, an Indian or even an Asian….. It can be watched by global viewer, of any country, any race. If you have seen or suffered the burns of terrorism of any kind, violent or subtle, you will understand and identify with this movie very easily.

PS: It is ironical coincidence why ShivSena chose to oppose this movie of all! SRK has enough bad movies to protest against! But they chose the exact movie that is going to ensure mass support towards SRK…. There is a saying in Sanskrit, Vinash Kaale Vipareet Buddhi meaning, when it is time to perish, you take wrong decisions on your own.

http://www.shahrukh.com/wp_wife.cfm Please visit this link from SRK’s official blog. Very genuine and lovely entry indeed! (God! Am I praising this man?!)