WATCH: SRK walks the red carpet in Berlin

My Name Is Khan premiered at the Berlin film festival. Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Karan Johar were there, with some fans waiting 11 hours under the snow to get a glimpse of SRK.

WATCH: My Name Is Khan house full in US, Canada

Monday is a President's Day holiday in the US and so MNIK has the opportunity to earn strong box-office receipts over the long weekend holiday.

IN PICS: SRK, Kajol's My Name Is Khan at Berlinale

INDIA BOXOFFICE UPDATE: 'M.N.I.K.' opens to a deafening response!

Humungous -- that's the right word to describe the initial response to MY NAME IS KHAN. The film had a deafening start at practically every centre, with practically every multiplex generating 100% collections, while single screens in mass-dominated centres opened to a 70% - 80% response, which is very, very good.

At a major theatre in Delhi, the audiences heralded the arrival of the film with band-bajaa and by bursting crackers. Outside a theatre in Patna, a moviegoer distributed roses to cinegoers who had come to watch the film.

The reviews from critics who matter are already out [every reviewer has praised the film to the skies] and the audience feedback is overwhelming. In fact, at several places, there has been a mad scramble to book the tickets and the film is expected to set theatre, city and district records at most centres.

In Mumbai, the multiplexes had decided to open shows at one property each. Hence, the multiplexes didn't perform the morning shows, but commenced screening from 12 noon onwards. The screenings began at Fun Republic [Andheri], Inox [Nariman Point], PVR [Goregaon], Fame [Malad], Big [Wadala] and Cinemax [Kandivali]. The multiplexes have now started screening the film at other properties.

Despite the Mumbai release getting affected, the film should have a solid, record-breaking Friday, in terms of box-office numbers.

OVERSEAS BOXOFFICE UPDATE: 'M.N.I.K.' smashes records in U.K., Aus., NZ

The international figures have started pouring in…

U.K.:

MY NAME IS KHAN previewed last night [Thursday] with an incredible [approx.] £ 123,000 from 89 sites. The film opened 4th in the market place, behind AVATAR, THE WOLFMAN previews and INVICTUS.

AUSTRALIA:

On its opening day, MY NAME IS KHAN grossed an impressive Aus. $ 39,000. The movie is ranked #11 in the market. According to Fox, this is 107% of 3 IDIOTS Thursday B.O.

NEW ZEALAND & FIJI:

MY NAME IS KHAN collected, on its opening day, NZD $ 13,627. It ranked #7 at the box-office. It may be noted that Bollywood films traditionally open on a Friday.

YOU MUST WATCH: Fans go crazy, Houseful for SRK film in Kolkata

People are out in full force to support the baadshah of Bollywood in Kolkata. Some morning shows are running full.

Grateful SRK tweets 'You're the star, I'm a fan'

Shah Rukh Khan, who is facing the ire of Shiv Sena, today said he is overwhelmed by the love and support of Mumbaikars for My Name Is Khan.

"i thank u all for this...& now truly know the meaning of being humbled.lov u all so much (sic)," tweeted Khan.

The 44-year-old actor is facing the ire of Shiv Sena after he refused to apologise for his remarks supporting the inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL.

The Sena had threatened to stall the release of his movie in Mumbai today but theatre owners defied the ban to go ahead with the screening amid tight security.

Khan, who will return to Mumbai from Berlin tomorrow, said he was "overwhelmed" by the public response to the movie.

"i am humbled by this show of love & kindness. so don't know wot else to say. overwhelmed & promise will make india proud with my hard work. yipppeee !!!! i love u very very very very much. thank u thank u thank u," Khan tweeted.

"i realise today...i am just a film hero...u all in the theatres r the real deal. god feel so loved & humbled. hats off to all heroes," the actor added.

Khan plays Rizwan Khan, a man suffering from Asperger's Syndrome, who is mistaken for a terrorist in post 9/11 America and undertakes a long journey across the US to prove his innocence to the love of his life, played by Kajol.

Shah Rukh is happy the film's released: Gauri Khan

Shah Rukh Khan's wife Gauri defied the Shiv Sena threat and stepped out to see Bollywood superstar's film My Name Is Khan at a local theatre on the opening day of its release.

39-year-old Gauri, who broke her silence in the tense Shah Rukh-Shiv Sena stand-off, said her husband is "very happy" with the initial response to the film after remaining "sad" yesterday following the controversy over the release of the eagerly awaited picture.

A co-producer of the film herself, Gauri urged cinegoers to catch up with the movie saying it is a "beautiful" picture.

"He (Shah Rukh) was very very sad yesterday but today he is very happy that everybody in Mumbai and all over India has come to watch his film. Karan (Johar) is with him by his side, supporting him. We are very happy," Gauri said. Karan Johar is the director of the film.

"It is a beautiful film and everybody should watch it. At times like these, peace is the most important thing," she added.

Mumbai defies Sena to watch SRK's film

It was a shaky start, but by 2 pm, Mumbai was taking its revenge on the Sena with house full shows for Shah Rukh Khan's My Name is Khan.

Thirteen cinemas, including most of Mumbai's big multiplexes like Fun Cinemas and Inox, began screening the film by 12.30 pm. Two hours later, most of Mumbai's multiplexes began showing the film. Four single-screen cinemas were also on board. Mumbai generates the most money for Bollywood releases. And in Mumbai, multiplexes do the most business.

Seeing the overwhelming response to his film, Shah Rukh tweeted, "i am humbled by this show of love & kindness. so dont know wot else to say. overwhelmed & promise will make india proud with my hard work....my name is fan...& i am not a star..u r.."

From Berlin, a grateful Karan Johar, who has directed the film, tweeted "Am overwhelmed and moved to tears with all the support our labour of love is getting. Thank you. Thank you. Your hand on our head makes us."

The Sena had threatened to attack cinemas showing the film unless Shah Rukh Khan apologizes for saying Pakistani cricketers should have been included in the next season of the Indian Premier League.

The Shiv Sena did try to intimidate audiences by sporadic protests outside Fun Cinemas in Versova and Chembur. The protestors were arrested immediately and hundreds of Shah Rukh's fans waited patiently to enter the cinemas. Their loyalty had already been appreciated by Shah Rukh who had tweeted on Friday morning, before the film opened, "good m'ing mumbai. wotever the fate of the film, never wished this upon the city that made my dreams come true & gave me all. i belong to u".. (Read: SRK tweets "for last time" on Sena controversy).

As a show of support, Maharashtra's Home Minister, RR Patil, watched the film at Inox at Nariman Point. He echoed what the chief minister had said on Thursday night to cinema-owners: "be bold, we will protect you."

Some of Bollywood's biggest names promised to follow suit. Hrithik Roshan tweeted that he would watch the movie in a theatre on Friday. Abhishek Bachchan tweeted his support for SRK and Johar.

In Delhi, most afternoon screenings of the film were sold out. "We are booked till Sunday," Jayendra Banerjee, Vice President Satyam Cineplexes told PTI. On Thursday night, Shiv Sainiks attacked the Satyam cinema hall in Janakpuri. Some hoardings of Shah Rukh Khan were burnt at Nizamuddin also last night. (Read: Sena attacks Satyam cinema)

In Ahmedabad, there was a brief scare after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad threatened to attack cinemas showing the film. The first show at all theatres was cancelled, but after reassurances by the state government, the second show rolled out on schedule.

In cities like Kolkata and Bangalore, fans have ensured packed shows, stressing that they want to support Shah Rukh Khan for having the courage of his convictions, and for refusing to apologize to the Shiv Sena.

On Thursday evening, Khan tweeted that his comments had been "misconstrued" by the Sena's Uddhav and Bal Thackeray.

Berlin buys SRK film's tickets @ 1000 euros each

Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar and Kajol are at the Berlin film festival. They'll all be out on the red carpet on Friday for the out of competition premiere of their film My Name is Khan.

SRK's fan base in Western Europe, especially German speaking countries, has been growing bigger and bigger for the last five years.

In Berlin, there is a massive response to the film as it premieres there today. Its online tickets were sold out in five seconds on e-Bay for 1000 euros each.

Fans had not slept all night to keep their places in the queue despite freezing temperature. Those who arrived late were in tears.

The Berlin Film Festival director has said he's never seen anything like it. This year is expected to be even bigger than 2008 when 'Om Shanti Om' was screened.

Festival organisers are gearing up for big crowds and those who did manage to get tickets for the red carpet premier of the film say they wouldn't miss the show for anything.

An Austrian professor has travelled from Vienna to see the film and is hoping to meet SRK to invite him for a big conference on Shahrukhology and SRK's global appeal.

"The Hollywood or German masculine hero is very one dimensional but SRK is different. He's the new global Indian hero who is also the ambassador of Indian culture and Indian cinema," says Elke Mader, Professor, University of Vienna.

The excitement around My name is Khan is building up in Berlin. How fans will react to the film will soon be clear.

NDTV REVIEW: My Name Is Khan

My Name is Khan is a film made with sincerity and sweat, ambition and conviction. It grapples with the most urgent and fraught issue facing humanity: religion. It features a striking performance by Shah Rukh Khan.

It has some scenes that will bruise you. Yet despite all this, My Name is Khan never becomes the empowering, inspiring Forest Gump-like epic. Mainly because the connective tissue tying it together is deeply flawed and in places, embarrassingly naive.

Khan is the story of Rizwan Khan, played by Shah Rukh, who has Asperger’s syndrome. This milder form of autism impairs Rizwan’s social communication skills and gives him some decidedly odd behavior patterns – he can’t stand loud sounds or the colour yellow.

He rotates stones obsessively and can barely bring himself to hug someone. Rizwan is far from crazy but he definitely moves to the beat of a different drummer. Despite this he finds love and a family with Mandira, played by Kajol.

But post 9/11, their happy home falls apart and Rizwan embarks on a grand odyssey across America so that he can tell the American president that his name is Khan but he is not a terrorist.

My Name is Khan is on firm footing as long as director Karan Johar stays with emotional drama. He opens the film skillfully with airport security searching Rizwan and then moves into flashback.

The scenes of Rizwan’s childhood are some of the strongest in the film. Zarina Wahab returns after years to give a lovely, nuanced performance as Rizwan’s mother. But the film’s delicate rhythm wobbles when we shift to San Francisco and into love story mode.

The first shaky sign is the entry of Navneet Nishan who seems like she has stepped in from some other, louder film.

The romance between Rizwan and Mandira is too designed and mawkish.

Kajol, struggling with a thin character, mostly veers between being hyper and cute.

Still, Karan, working with an ace technical team including cinematographer Ravi K Chandran and editor Deepa Bhatia, crafts some beautiful images and poignant sequences but the film loses balance irreparably as it moves into political mode.

The second half scrambles madly both literally and figuratively. Rizwan, obviously superman in another life, manages to shout down a hate-mongering Muslim doctor, have him arrested by the FBI, get arrested himself and in a ridiculous pre-climactic sequence, save the citizens of a small town when floods hit Georgia.

Writer Shibani Bhatija squeezes in so much that by the end of two hours and forty minutes, even if Rizwan isn’t exhausted, you are.

Rizwan is undeniably the best thing about My Name is Khan. Shah Rukh’s performance has little subtlety about it – for that watch Hugh Dancy doing Asperger’s in Adam – but it is heartfelt, endearing and more controlled than anything he’s ever done before. Watch him in a lovely scene in which Kajol accepts his proposal or how he restrains his tears so that his eyes brim but never well over.

I recommend that you see Khan for him. The film itself is too uneven to give us the emotional high we were waiting for.

Rating: 3/5

Go watch My Name is Khan, says Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan is the latest to join the celeb bandwagon in support of Shah Rukh Khan, urging fans to watch My Name Is Khan.

The actor, who joined the micro-blogging site on Thursday, made sure that his first tweet expressed his solidarity with Khan.

"Spread humanity with a vengeance, GO WATCH MY NAME IS KHAN. ...and for the record, my name is HRITHIK ROSHAN (sic)," Roshan wrote.

The actor also plans to catch My Name is Khan himself on Friday after he is done with the Shivratri celebrations.

National award-winning actress Priyanka Chopra wrote, "I hope you all have plans to go out there and catch the film
over the weekend in support of a great effort by Shah Rukh, Karan, Kajol and the cast and crew. We have to stand up to for what is right."

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who has been constantly tweeting about the issue in the past week, wrote, "The brand ambassador of Gujarat Shri Amitabh Bachchan must be asked to prevail upon Modi to step in urgently and get MNIK released in Guj! (sic)"

Actor Riteish Deshmukh wished good luck to Khan and director of the movie Karan Johar, writing, "good things happen to good people, actually great things will happen."

APUNKACHOICE REVIEW: My Name Is Khan

“Repair Almost Anything.” Rizvan Khan, the protagonist of the film holds out a placard after he runs out of money during his long, arduous, circuitous journey to meet the President of the United States of America to tell him just one thing: “My Name Is Khan and I am not a terrorist”.

In the post 9/11 world when the west particularly began to judge the whole basket by a few bad apples and put a whole community under the scanner because of their religious orientation, Rizvan Khan, the man who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, the man who can’t stand loud noises and stark colours, the man who’s scared of venturing into places he isn’t used to and can barely cross a road without the risk of being hit by a speeding vehicle, trudges through the length and breadth of the US and braves racial discrimination, arrest, and even torture at the hands of the authority only because he’s driven by deep love for his estranged wife Mandira (Kajol) from whom he parted with the promise that he won’t return till he’s met the President. It’s the tale of the triumph of this indomitable spirit of the protagonist of My Name Is Khan, incredibly played by the ever-surprising Shahrukh Khan, that touches you, moves you, makes you cry, gives you goose pimples, and enlightens you with its message.

Karan Johar, the czar of popcorn romances, leaps into a new territory and delves into a serious subject without totally slithering out of his old skin. While the first half of ‘My Name Is Khan’ is as good as it could get, the film slides onto a downward slope at many points in the second half, when the old K-Jo kicks in and hyperbolizes the drama and overplays the emotions. Old habits truly die hard. But thank goodness for Shahrukh Khan, the man at the centre of it all, who comes up with an awesome performance that doubtlessly ranks as his best till date. There’s not a trace of the swashbuckling, flamboyant Khan with the lofty brow and quivering lips we’ve seen repeatedly in the actor’s past films. His Rizvan is a gauche, retiring, shy, blushing man who drawls out his lines in a constant monotone, walks with a stiff gait and barely makes an eye-contact with other people. Giving SRK ample support without ever becoming central to the film is Kajol, ravishing and riveting as ever.

Writer Shibani Bhatija has clearly researched the Asperger’s syndrome well. SRK’s mildly autistic character in the movie takes everything literally (for example, if you were to tell him to go to hell, he will actually ask you its address); he is scared of crowded places and certain colours, yet he’s gifted with an almost exceptional intellectual genius. He has a tendency to repeat the words he’s heard but is unable to express his own emotions well. Mostly, he doesn’t get lost in niceties. In a scene where a couple in a bus offer him a bite of their lunch, Rizvan actually takes all there is in the can, leaving the couple to nibble on the only bit they luckily pre-empted before making the offer. Or take that scene where a hostess, a next-door neighbour, asks Rizvan, “how’s the chicken?”. “Not very good,” is his reply. No words minced and saying it as it is.

Apart from the fine strokes in etching out Rizvan’s character, the story traverses an expansive canvas and touches upon a number of issues like the communal riots in North India’s heartland or the racial profiling at the airports of the US or the spitfire fanatics who try to incite youth with their distorted interpretation of verses from the holy book or the discrimination that Muslims face in their everyday life abroad. And all through this stride, the movie holds out one message loud and clear - that of love and compassion. The beacon holding out this message is Rizvan. Beyond the labels of religion, he sees people as just good or bad.

Kudos to Karan Johar for making this brave attempt but how one wishes he had reined himself in during the second half. The flood sequence and the sub-plot involving Mama Jenny and funny hair Joel in Wilhelmina, Georgia, were totally dispensable.

Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and cinematography by Ravi Chandran is top-notch. Jimmy Shergill (as SRK’s younger brother) and Sonya Jehan (as Shergill’s wife) come up with fine performances.

But my salutations to the man who breathes life and soul into the movie - the King Khan. And I say it as much from my epiglottis as from the heart.

Rating: 3.5/5

Mumbai snubs Shiv Sena, supports Shahrukh Khan

It is a clear win for Shahrukh Khan in the ongoing Shiv Sena Vs SRK battle as various sections of the country decided to come together and show their support for the actor.

With the two multiplexes Fun Cinemas and Inox enjoying a house full when they decided to screen the SRK-starred 'My Name Is Khan' on Friday, Feb 12, all Mumbai multiplexes have decided to follow the suit and screen the film.

People who came out to watch the movie in these theaters told the media persons that they were not doing it only to watch the movie, but their acts were symbolic of the people standing by democracy and freedom of expression when they decided to not bow down to the threats of the political party.

Besides the main stream media and state government, which vowed support to Shahrukh from the beginning, the Bollywood fraternity is also voicing its support.

While Pooja and Kabir Bedi showed up at a theatre to catch the first day first show, Hrithik Roshan tweeted his support for Khan.

State Home Minister, RR Patil also arrived at a multiplex to watch the movie.

Meanwhile in New Delhi, Shahrukh Khan fans gathered and shouted slogans in support of the Bollywood star. They even tore the posters of Shiv Sena leaders, Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray.

Delhi gives thumbs up to 'My Name is Khan'

"My Name Is Khan" opened to packed houses in about 70 halls in the capital and its suburbs, except for a cinema hall in west Delhi that was vandalised by some drunk youths. The hype around the film, thanks to the Shiv Sena's stand-off with superstar Shah Rukh Khan, attracted curious cinemagoers in droves to watch the film.

According to police, the youths who attacked the cinema hall were not affiliated to any political group.

"I was not scared about security when I decided to go for the film. First of all, there has been no problem in Delhi and secondly, there is police all round," Purva Mehta, who came to watch the film at PVR Priya, told IANS.

The theatre saw 80-90 percent occupancy and long queues of people who wanted to see the film. It reaffirmed the fact that Delhiites are eager to watch the Shah Rukh and Kajol starrer, Mehta said.

Kaveri Jha, a housewife, said the hype around the film has led to more people going to watch it.

"After so much hype has been created, it becomes a point that we come and watch it. It's out of curiosity that maximum people are coming to watch the film," she said.

The audiences hailed the film saying it was worth the effort.

"I loved the movie. Kajol and Shah Rukh are looking amazing together. It's been a while since we saw them together. Quite refreshing to see them and plus they have done a good job," said Shobhita Sen, 18.

Theatre owners are happy over the audience response.

"The response has been very good. We are seeing around 90 percent occupancy in most shows. Police have been deployed so there is no security hassle as well," Amit Awasthi, manager (programming and operations) of Spice Cinemas, told IANS.

Jayendra Banerji, vice president (operations) of Satyam Cineplexes, said: "The first show at 10.15 a.m. got about 80 percent occupancy which is very decent."

Set in post 9/11 US, "My Name Is Khan" released with over 2,000 prints worldwide Friday. It has been in the news after Shiv Sena activists decided to "ban" the film in Mumbai.

The decision came soon after Shah Rukh commented that Pakistani cricketers should be allowed to take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Even though the film is still witnessing problems in Mumbai, Delhi's response has been heart-warming.

Of the 70 cinema halls where the film was released, 10 are single screens in the NCR region and the owners are content with the response.

"We had opened our bookings for the film on Monday. I can't give you the percentage of people coming for the film, but I can say it is good," said an official from Sangam cinema hall in R.K. Puram.

GLAMSHAM REVIEW: My Name Is Khan

Director: Karan Johar
Music: Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy
Lyrics: Niranjan Iyengar
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Parvin Dabbas, Jimmy Shergill and Zarina Wahab

Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder, and people with it therefore show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical use of language are frequently reported.

The exact cause is unknown, although research supports the likelihood of a genetic basis; brain imaging techniques have not identified a clear common pathology. There is no single treatment, and the effectiveness of particular interventions is supported by only limited data. Intervention is aimed at improving symptoms and function. The mainstay of management is behavioral therapy, focusing on specific deficits to address poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.
(source: wikipedia)

Viewed on the basis of the evaluation of Asperger Syndrome, Karan Johar has hit the nail on the head. He has handled Rizvan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) with maturity. To top it, he has used the intelligence of Rizvan to home in on a very touchy topic and has succeeded. Islam is not about Jihad, it is about love and Rizvan in his own locked-in world unlocks the hate within from those around him. Many with Asperger Syndrome also get violent, but Rizvan freaks when he sees the colour yellow and cannot stand loud noise.

Shah Rukh Khan has done a complete study of this syndrome and has delivered a terrific performance from frame one. Kajol, I dare say, is the Queen of Bollywood. All this talk of this heroine being the No.1 or No 2 is just mumbo jumbo when you see this talent explode on screen. Just natural. Pure bliss. We need to see more of you on screen, Kajol.

Karan Johar is known for his tearjerkers and he sticks to his format this time, too. But he also addresses an important issue, one that is tearing the world apart.

His handling of scenes is very mature and real. The interaction between young Rizvan with his mother (Zarina Wahab) and his younger brother Zakir is poignant. Zarina's obsessive focus on Rizwan drives Zakir to the wall. The crack is easy to see; his hatred for his brother easy to accept. Rizvan, in one touching moment tells his brother that at least he is able to express his sadness through tears... as for him, it's a frustrating process all bottled within.

Wanting to live his mother's dreams to lead a normal life, Rizvan leaves for America to live with his brother and wife. There, he assists his brother in selling his beauty products and meets Mandira (Kajol), already married with a six-year-old son. Their romance, which leads to marriage, is very well captured. She is a Hindu. He a Muslim. She adopts his surname and then 9/11 happens which radically changes the way the world sees Muslims, especially Americans. Tragedy strikes this happy family and Rizvan is on a journey travelling across the US to meet the president to tell him, 'My name is Khan, and I'm not a terrorist.' It is this obsessive or repetitive routine, which is the central theme of the film. He does meet the President and manages to change the views of many along the way.

Karan and SRK have done what they had to for the viewers and peace at large; but in the real world, can love actually be given a chance? A beautiful movie with a beautiful message not to forget powerful performances from the jodi that stormed the screens13 years ago with DDLJ.

Jimmy Sheirgill is once again proving to be a powerhouse performer. Soniya Jehan and Tannay Cheddha as the young Rizvan are fabulous. Zarina Wahab captivates with her emotions for both her sons. Yuvaan Makaar as Kajol's son is a confident actor.

Go watch it. Karan has crafted a beautiful film, while SRK has authored a marketing strategy that will be hard for even Aamir Khan to beat!

Rating - 3.5/5

Public asserted their rights by going to watch My Name Is Khan: Ambika Soni

With the controversial film My Name Is Khan today witnessing a healthy turnout in Maharashtra despite its limited release in that state, the government today said the public has asserted its national right by going for the movie.

"From what I have seen on television today, Shiv Sena seems to have been limited to only 1,600 persons (referring to thousands of party's workers behind bars). There is a national view on the issue and as citizens of this country, we all have a view on this. People are free to do what they want to do.You cannot have divisive politics as a base of your political strength," information and broadcasting minister, Ambika Soni told reporters here.

Asked to react to the controversy related to the film having a limited release in Maharashtra, Soni said, "If we in the ministry can have months of discussions with broadcasters on how to regulate content, it goes on to show that we are an open society."

"Similarly, if the common man has filled up cinema theatres to watch the film, by doing so, the people of India have asserted their citizenship. Citizens of the country have today given us a lesson in unity."