The film begins in a little suburb in Mumbai, where the young Rizwan Khan (Tanay Cheda) lives with his mother (Zarina Wahab). The child suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. Once he grows up (into Shah Rukh Khan) Rizwan moves to the US to stay with his brother (Jimmy Shergill) and his wife (Sonia Jehan). It’s in the US that he falls in love with Mandira (Kajol), a single parent. They get married and even start a little business. But the 9/11 attack mars all their aspirations of a happy married life. The strain on their family, on account of their surname, leads the couple to separation… What follows is Rizwan’s journey to win back his wife and retain his honour, in his name!
If you sit through the screenplay hoping to see Shah Rukh’s typical histrionics, you will be in for a surprise… For this time around, there’s a subdued, calm Shah Rukh onscreen who totally lets his character take the stage. Barring a few portions in the film, Karan Johar too lets the story do the telling rather than get too ‘Johar-esque’ in his direction. Kajol is perhaps the only member of the film who doesn’t tread far from her usual self.
Kudos for the casting - the supporting cast is effective and well-matched to the script. All in all, it’s a film worth all the sweat and blood the cast and crew have shed for it, totally living up to its hype! K-Jo, you may now breathe easy… you have a whammy in your pocket!
