MY NAME IS KHAN
To begin with, this movie review is not about an English movie, but a Hindi movie. In this movie, well-known celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Jimmy Shergill and Zarina Wahab. This movie is about how the name of a particular person could cause an impact to many people around him.
This is how the review goes:
Rizvan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), is a very simple Indian man who is living with Asperger's Syndrome, which is an autism spectrum disorder. Since as a young child, he was inculcated with the values that his mother (Zarina Wahab). However, on the other hand, Zakir Khan (Jimmy Shergill), who is Rizvan's younger brother feels neglected as the mother shows all the attention to his elder brother. Many years later, after Zakir has completed his studies, he migrates over to America to find a better life. He settles down there with a business and a good life partner, Hasina (Soniya Jehan).
Soon after the demise of the mother, Rizvan also moves over to America in support of his brother. He helps out with the sales of his younger brother's company products which are beauty products for women. During this period is when Rizvan meets the love of his life, Mandira (Kajol).
Mandira is a divorcee who lives with her son, Sameer (Yuvan Makar). In a short period of time, both Rizvan and Mandira get married and live happily in a small world that they created for themselves. In the meantime, of their neighhbours, Mark Garrick (Dominic Renda) dies while fighting the war against Iraq. On the other hand, being unable to accept the fact death, Mark's son, Reese (Kenton Duty) takes revenge on Sameer by not talking to him and saying that Muslims are the ultimate cause that his father passed away. When the two boys were fighting on the school field, a much older student interrupts and starts physically assaulting. That is when Sameer was knocked down by a football and eventually, died.
Mandira, was very lost with the sudden death of her son and starts blaming Rizvan for marrying her that caused the life of her son. During a conversation, she will ask him to meet the President of the United States of America to prove that he being a Muslim, he is not a terrorist.
Therefore, My Name Is Khan, is a story about how this young Muslim man goes around with very little money in hand to fight justice for the death of his step son. This is truly a touching story as it talks about a step father could fight so much for his step son and how love is blind in terms of race and religion. It also emphasises how the world should not discriminate or blame the Muslims for the terrorist events that are happening all around the world.
This movie actually links to how the mass media has influenced people about issues. Live coverages of wars and disasters, footages of people being brutally killed and videos of live fires have impacted people a lot. Furthermore, with the wars happening in the Middle East, it also gives people the impression that Muslims and terrorism have a very close connection. Once again, all these impressions that are generated are by the mass media itself. The mass media is a very powerful influence that people actually believe what they read, see and hear. However, the mass media does not have a particular stand as to what is wrong or right and the perspective the audience have to bear.
All in all, My Name Is Khan is a good story of the influence and domination of the mass media on people.
The mass media is influential and media consumers have to be smart to filter the messages because the media is a profit making segment. Whatever that is portrayed is what they want the audience to see so people will have to evaluate for themselves and not become blind consumers of media.
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched the movie but it seems to me that agenda setting function comes into play here. You can't deny that western press tends to portray muslims / middle-easterns as terrorists, or at least subtly imply that they are. Thus, the world would come to that conclusion.
ReplyDeleteI have watched the movie and its really very good. Its similar to the movie Kurbaan which speaks volumes about how the western media portrays the muslims in a negative limelight.
ReplyDeleteMy Name Is Khan certainly sounds like a really interesting movie to watch! I think that your choice of movie to illustrate how influential mass media is indeed a very accurate one. Mass media is a really influential medium for spreading messages as mass media is able to capture a really large audience. Couple this with enough slant and the media can have most of its receivers eating out of the palm of its hand. What people need most is the ability to discern.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Hindi movie is Krrish but it has nothing to do with this show you, I'd just thought I'll share it with you.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle has been an air steward with Singapore airlines for over 20 years. Ever since 9/11 it has become alot harder for him to get flights to America has they (America) tend to be a little more cautious when you are Muslim.
I dont really blame them as they are trying to protect America but it may offend the rest of the Muslims. We can't really do much as this is how the media portrays them to be. I'm sure if we watch an arabic television network it would be the opposite.