My Name Is Khan

I didn’t quite know what to expect with “My Name Is Khan” when I added it to my Netflix list, but after spending last evening viewing the film from the safety of my couch, I can heartily say that the film delivered. It is an incredible film with a powerful and heartfelt message.

SUMMARY (NO SPOILER!): All his life Rizwan Khan has been different from other people, and his mother, brother, teachers and doctors in India have never quite been able to figure him out. Once he immigrates to the USA, he is diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, but he doesn’t let it stop him. He takes it all in stride and starts working for his brother’s company as a salesman. While selling beauty products, he meets Mandira, a local hairdresser. Rizwan falls in love and eventually charms his way into Mandira’s heart. Despite their religious differences (he is a Muslim, and she is a Hindu), the couple marry and move to the suburbs of San Francisco with Mandira’s son, Sam.

Their peaceful suburban life is somewhat shattered by 9/11, when the intolerance and racial hatred in their community begins to cause friction and eventually leads to a family tragedy. The couple separate, and Rizwan sets off on a quest to help him woo back his wife.

MY REVIEW: The film has an almost fanciful or fairy tale like presence on the screen. At times, it reminded me of “Forest Gump” in that way, but there were deeper themes at work in “My Name Is Khan.” The film is a bit long at 2 hours and 41 minutes, but I still enjoyed the experience.

I would rate this film at 4.5 stars out of 5. It’s not perfect, but it is definitely worth seeing. It makes you feel, and it makes you think. Both of which are important to this viewer.