Global Bollywood ?? Global SRK ??

How important it is to have the patronage of a Hollywood studio giant for a Bollywood film to get the kind of visibility of MNIK has got? The answer, as the box office results come pouring in from overseas, is clear: whatever its creative genious, K Jo’s newest film, which marries such incongruent subjects as disability and religious identity to raise the flag of world peace, has attained the distinction of being the biggest Bollywood release till date.. Truly, Indian films are no more confined to Indian territories or Asian borders…it has become a global entertainment service … a perfect example which I was compelled to quote to my students while delivering a lecture on Global Marketing, yesterday evening.

MNIK made Rs 25 crore on opening day and the box office results suggest that, finally this may be the big fat Bollywood movie which really cross over. From the zealous embrace of NRI loyalist, for whom SRK has godlike status, to the non-traditional audience which may finally be willing to experiment with full blown Bollywood film, (thanks to TV channels, I get to see more of SRK these days than my family members) to holding out, as blandishments, the biggest Indian star, unabashed emotional moments, in a subject which had universal appeal. Who doesn’t want world peace? … Again a Global Issue

The film has been slammed in several quarters as being opportunistic, of being made simply to succeed in the west. It needed to be different, so K Jo (director-producer) dreamt up a central character who has Asperger’s Syndrome, a kind of autism which makes brain cells work in superb order, but leaves the person socially inept… Here I am compelled to imagine how a socially inept Rizwan (SRK) could woo Mandira, played by the bong beauty Kajol… guyz need to take some tips from him.… US audiences will probably not accept anything too Indianised or too alien, thus a familiar location… K Jo is known for mounting his films extremely lavishly with foreign locales and MNIK looks lovely all painted up warmly on screen. SRK is both more or less normal than average Asperger’s person, but that’s because it is next to impossible for a normal person to get what is like to be an autistic person. Hats off to SRK’s acting competence !!

However, the box office frenzy over the weekend usually does drop after a Monday, but trade analysts say the film lost out a huge, nearly Rs 5 crore as it was not released completely in Mumbai on its opening day, thanks to Shiv Senas. However, what is noteworthy is the film’s global takings : if it can hold on till next week. MNIK will be the film to bang in the global mart. Shall have to wait and watch..

My name is (not) Khan

Well this piece has nothing to do with K Jo’s forthcoming film “My name is Khan,” but the recent hue n cry created by the King Khan.. ala Shahrukh Khan ( who happens to be one of my favourite) and the media, on the former’s recent visit to the US. Even the former President of the country was also frisked in our own land by the staff of an US airliner and very few eyebrows were raised. In fact there are many Indians, who were frisked.. Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, Irfaan Khan, Neil Nitin Mukhesh, Salmaan Khan, Jayanti Natarajan, to name a few.

I fail to understand, why we Indians are so conscious about the VIP status, specially when the formality is carried out at the cost of the security of a nation and involves the lives of millions? We, Indians are very emotional, and very easily tend to forget the consequences of ghastly terrorist attacks. I am actually surprised that SRK, who happens to travel to the States, very often, is passing such a remark, rather he should be used to such a practice.. (yes it would have been wrong, had they strictly limited to carry out such a formality on the basis of a particular religion) Very recently, the US cops were found seeking ID from a Professor of Harvard and most surprisingly from American Icon & Legend Bob Dylan. This is the reason, why no terror attacks had taken place in the US post 9 / 11.

It is high time, we Indians should learn from the US. Though the Honourable T & T Minister, Ms. Ambika Soni said that we should also do the same (Tit for a Tat) with the US celebrities / VIPs… the protocol should be religiously followed in our country, no matter whether there are US celebrities, Indian VIPs, Pakistani nationals or aam Hindustani… Thank God,my name is (not) Khan, and I am a common Indian and I would not mind waiting for hours, if it demands so, for my nation. Jai Hind.