The one and only director of Bollywood known for his multi-starrer blockbusters, glamourous foreign locales and lavish movie sets, Karan Johar feels that his upcoming flick ‘My Name Is Khan’ is the toughest silver screen of his career.
‘My Name Is Khan’ reflects on the trials and troubles of an autistic person. Although taking to news daily on the way the movie has been influencing SRK, Karan Johar said, “It has taken its toll on me and Shah Rukh. Its true Shah Rukh remained in character as Rizwan Khan even at home. At home in his body language he’s always Rizwan. I see him doing it all the time. I don’t think he has got out of it. Even when he’s with his children at home.”
Karan has broadly researched upon autism ahead of starting his mega composition ‘My Name Is Khan.’ While we’re on the subject, Karan met London based Chris Aston – a patient of Asperger’s Syndrome and his wife Maxine, who has written a book on how to deal with a partner suffering from autism. “Shibani and I met the couple. They were gracious enough to meet us in London. And that couple’s relationship became the basis of Rizwan and Mandira’s relationsip in ‘My Name Is Khan.’ At its core level this film is a love story,” he said.
Looking at research work an evidently energized Karan said, “My writer Shibani Bhatija researched extensively on various aspects of an autistic disorder and contacted the various National Autistic Centres. Shibani and I personally met a lot of autistic people, took notes went to U-Tube. Then Shah Shah Rukh did his own research.”
Karan straight away said no to reports when enquired whether the movie is inspired by Tom Hanks’ ‘Forrest Grump’,“It’s not Tom Hanks in ‘Forrest Gump’ at all. That was a totally different strain of autism. It’s nearer to Dustin Hoffman in ‘Rain Man’, though still very different. It’s what we call high-functional autism. You can have a regular life, be married, have children. But the syndrome does convey a fair amount of quirks and eccentricities. But his character is not essentially neuro-typical. The film has made me understand human behaviour and how to be compassionate and humane.”
Karan maintained that the movie has exhausted him of all energies as he declared, “I need to go away for a month. I don’t think it will happen. But no harm in dreaming.”
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