Kabir Khan is a novel idea…

After so much of coercion, this weekend I decided to watch “Chak De India”. I “was” a Sharukh Khan fan long ago but the fact is that I could never make out any heroes other than the good “old” Mammooty and Mohan Lal till I was in my 10^th grade or so. Neither was I reluctant to hear Backstreet Boys at that age. That’s how my argument for being a fan of Sharukh goes. Not that I am betraying this good old bloke, who made it big in the industry but Bollywood movies turned out to be more and more drab as years passed, especially the ones Sharukh acted. I have not watched DDLJ, KKKG (or what ever it is), or any of those Karan Johar movies.

 

There is nothing much to tell about this movie, but a few words wont do bad.

 

• The idea “Kabir Khan” – I liked it, a Muslim who is not a traitor, terrorist or villain did appeal me. Though the movie portrays a flimsy scene, where a Pakistani player hugs the Indian captain Kabir Khan and eventually media vilifying him for being a friend of a Paki player, there is strong message conveyed through this. Intended or not, I am not too sure. But I can vouch; that is the feeling with which most Muslims in India live. As every bomb blast or communal fracas happens, they get pulled in to “the news”. There is no dearth of Muslims in Bollywood, most of them well off, educated and suave and they barely bear the brunt of what happens to their peers in the society. But, there is a clear divide which has percolated in our society; much with the help of media that helps all of us identify Muslims as a terrorist or a villain.So, if the idea “kabhir Khan”, was what they wanted to portray, it is a very brave one Indeed.

 

• This single reason makes this movie some what connected to the “reality” which  has missed the purview of Bollywood these days. Its dabbles in chiffon draped mommas and heroes which are so fake but at the same time accepted by a whole bunch of cinema goers in India. So this theme was pretty much a break from the chiffon saris, exotic locations and romance but the very idea – Kabhir Khan; was easily masked by the presence of so called King Khan. The blind faith of an Indian movie goer failed to gather it, which constitutes a big chunk of Hindus in India; who in the present day have reached a position where they have been coerced to equate the word traitor to a Muslim. Thanks to the Ram & Ram & Ram Co. This is the third Ram as appropriately told in this blog. 

 

• Is there anything else? Nothing much, I knew India was eventually going to win the Hockey World Championship. Nothing much to speak about the direction, cinematography.

 

• Sharukh imitated Jose Mourinho of Chelsea F.C – attire, looks and the actions. As Mourinho rarely bothers to reflect any emotions, Sharukh was at ease. This inevitably reduced squirming faces and nerve knapping mannerisms of his. Yes a superb/subtle/reserved performance, if you want to call it so.

 

I am happy, if this movie was the sole reason for a full house crowd in Delhi for the Nehru Cup Football final, as some claim. I did see a lot of “Chak De India” placards. Thanks to the film crew, if they were the sole reason for Indian hockey team’s astounding win in the Asian Championship which concluded in Chennai. But, this movie will not rescue sports in India, I wish if it could. Sharukh can’t save sports in India, but he did save Yash Raj Films who came out with a series of flops.