Sunday 15 July 2012

MNIK

"MY NAME IS KHAN AND 
I AM NOT A TERRORIST"

Ok it's really quite rare that I rave about any movies that I've seen here and it's not because I don't see any great movies it is more that I see a lot that aren't that special but they are not  that bad either! New cinema films are more family events and more appropriately commented on in passing on Facebook. Ice Age 4 is typical of that, it was my Granddaughter's first cinema film and really a funny film but I didn't think worthy of mention here.
The majority of films are DVD's that come in the post or I watch online when there is nothing on TV or I'm bored with playing music! 
The odd one affects me in some major way and then I buy it so I can watch it on my own schedule.

MNIK, My Name Is Khan is one such film.
It's cinema release was two and a half years ago with a huge amount of publicity and good and bad reviews. It didn't break many box office records anywhere, globally and wasn't nominated for any mainstream awards.
It is a Bollywood film and within that genre was regarded as one of the best films of its type ever.
Bollywood is not a popular genre to 'western film goers' and suffers bad press. All music and poor dancing, subtitled, two hours too long, badly made, no story, chick flicks are all criticisms offered before anybody has seen it!!

<< Prejudging and prejudice and a number of other isms, not worthy of further research.>>


I am not going to tell you about the film's plot and storyline, far better you have no preconceived idea but please remember or never forget, the highlighted part above !
To me now this film is way more than "epic", it is life itself. It is how you react to what everyday life can throw at you. It is how you deal with life itself and it gets you by the throat and says, "This is happening - now and how would you deal with it?" It is an eye opener and more importantly a question asker. In fact I defy you to see it and tell me there hasn't been some kind of change about the way you think about things! 
On top of all that it is funny, untypically Bollywood, with a beautiful story and strong actors playing wonderfully deep characters.

Before its release I was told by the person that converted me to Bollywood that this film would change my life, I have to say I didn't really believe her at the time. When she saw it on the weekend of its release she said it had changed her life. That I wasn't sure about.
I hired it, watched it, bought it online, received my own copy within 48 hours and have watched it eight times since.
"It'll change your life!"
Yeah right!
It did mine and it will yours.
To that friend, thank you, the greatest gift you could give me was the recommendation to go see 'My Name Is Khan'

"How far would you go for something you truly believe in?"  

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