Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar faces International Competition!

Shah Rukh Khan's character Rizwan Khan in Karan Johar's My Name is Khan has Asperger's. But it's not the only film releasing this year where the lead character has the disorder. In Adam, an American film, the lead character also has Asperger's Syndrome.

A lot is known about MNIK, while the second film is relatively unknown. So who exactly is Adam? And besides that little coincidental detail, what else does this indie flick share in common with the Karan Johar biggie? Read on to find out.

We did a little digging around and here's what we found...

While Adam is essentially a romantic comedy / dramedy; My Name Is Khan is a drama.

Adam is played by Hugh Dancy (no A-Lister, but last seen in Confessions of a Shopaholic) while Rizwan is played by King Khan (no introductions needed).

Adam's closest confidante is Harlan, a friend of his father's (played by actor Frankie Faison), Rizwan's is his brother Bilal (played by actor Jimmy Sheirgill).

The film's title is the main protagonist's name in both films.

The female protagonist in Adam is Beth, a weak character who finds strength in Adam, a love interest played by Rose Bryne (Damages, Sunshine, Knowing, 28 Weeks Later); by some accounts, Kajol's character, Mandira Khan, is Rizwan's pillar of support.

Adam is directed by Max Mayer (who earlier directed only for TV), while Karan Johar, whose directorial debut had SRK, has only directed films with him in the lead roles.

Adam was one of the year's big purchases at the Sundance Festival 2009 by Fox Searchlight and it will have a limited release in the US (on July 29 this year) and internationally; meanwhile Karan's film is still under production and may only be released by this year-end on a massive scale (it is an SRK release after all).

Adam was widely appreciated by several critics who caught the film at Sundance and though it is still too early, is being tipped an Oscar underdog (another Slumdog, anyone?). Like with every other KJo film, expectations do run high and MNIK should do well at award ceremonies after its release (SRK, Kajol, KJo... still need more reasons why?)

Early set pics indicate Rizwan's dressing style as wearing suits and dark glasses, Adam's trailer shows Dancy quite often in his spacesuit.

Adam lives in Manhattan, Rizwan lives in New York too. The film was also shot in Los Angeles.
Adam stays alone after his father's death, Rizwan has a mother we know of (played by Zarina Wahab). Adam is essentially the story of two very different people impossibly falling in love, MNIK has its lead pair getting married.

Adam's troubles begin when Beth starts falling for him and her father objects, Rizwan's troubles begin post-9/11.

While Karan has been quoted as saying that the first half of MNIK is essentially based on a true love story; there is no indication as yet on Adam's origins.

Christopher Lennertz's score in Adam sounds awesome; Karan's choice of music directors is mostly fluent and relevant. Both films could bank on their respective soundtracks.

Arjun to pool in for KKR

Their friendship in no secret, and Arjun Rampal would have it no other way. Even though SRK’s IPL team aren’t the best performers, Arjun’s loyalty to his friend and the team won’t shift.

When asked if he would ever have his own cricket team, he says that if one day King Khan decides to sell a stake of the team, he will make sure to buy it.

While you and I might raise our eyebrows in question, Rampal insists he likes the team.

SRK’s top 5 moments with KKR

Shah Rukh Khan lives his life on his own terms: be it his films or his other projects. And for a while, it seemed like King Khan could do no wrong. However, his purchase of the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008 proved that even great men sometimes make wrong decisions. The Knight Riders were bought by Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies Entertainment in partnership with Juhi Chawla and her husband, Jai Mehta. We pick out the top five moments that Shah Rukh has endured with his team.

1. Last year at the IPL, Shah Rukh Khan and Sourav Ganguly disagreed over issues such as team composition, Sourav’s choice of batting first in the game against Chennai Super Kings and the entertainment tax being imposed for the matches played at Eden Gardens (Shah Rukh reportedly wanted Sourav to speak to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, about it, but was refused by Sourav).

2. Initially, SRK was very keen to hang out with his team in the dressing room, discussing their strategies for each match. But later, the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit officials stopped Shah Rukh going into the team’s dressing room and the dugout during the IPL match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.

Shah Rukh had then said, “I like to hang around with the boys. I am very energetic. I am very disappointed that the ICC has stopped me. I don't know the ICC rules, but nobody dare stop me from coming to Kolkata. I'll be there whenever my team plays a match at the Eden.”

3. Then, in 2008, SRK gave an indication that a major decision regarding the team would be taken by Coach John Buchanan. And this year, Buchanan decided on the multiple captaincies, which many in Kolkata saw as another ploy to strip local favourite Sourav Ganguly of captaincy. Buchanan’s idea was eventually shelved, but Ganguly didn't retain his job either, as KKR’s Kiwi stumper Brendon McCullum became the new captain.

Needless to say, Kolkata was not happy, but Shah Rukh said, “For good and bad, the Kolkatans love us one night and one night they do get angry with our decisions. But I promise you guys that the dream I have is to come to Kolkata with the IPL trophy and dance. Will do some new steps for Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re.”

But this dream is far from coming true now, as his team only managed to win one match out of the seven they have played.

4. SRK selected six cheerleaders through his reality show Knights and Angels to cheer his team on in South Africa. But the South African cricket management did not allow them on the grounds, and he had no choice but to send them home, promising them work next IPL.

5. After a string of defeats suffered by the Kolkata Knight Riders, team owner Shah Rukh decided not to go back to South Africa unless KKR started to win. He said, “If they are doing well, I will go back. Otherwise, I don't like going back and feeling sad for the boys, because there is a lot of talent in the team and a lot of hard work.”

Shahrukh Khan talks about life post IPL

Straight-talking SRK on the state of play: his contribution to the IPL, his refusal to campaign for politician buddies and his equation with Aamir

So his Knights bowed out all too early in this installment of the Indian Premier League, but Shah Rukh Khan has already moved on. The man's funda in life is simple: he's here to entertain, and that's what he's doing post-Billu, post IPL, post all.

King Khan takes you through the reasons why he's still sticking with the producers, with small films and why he's taking advice from Aamir Khan. Read on...

What's your take on the producer-distributor forum and multiplex issue?
Both sides need to understand that neither can move without the other. I think there need to be dialogue between the people who know the details. I am just a spokesperson. I am told what to say and I said it. But having said that, I truly believe that they will not budge till the World T20 is over. Post that we need to have balls to hold the strike for another 60 days. The big film producers have it and I think it will finally help the small film guys as well. Next thing is releasing films in single screens.

In the producers meeting, Aamir took centrestage while you took a back seat. Why?
I think Aamir arranged for everything. He is very actively involved in this. Even now, he texts me everyday to point out some things and then I SMS back with what I feel should be added or taken out and so on. I was supposed to hold fort till I left for the IPL; I did that. There were a few things I was meant to do which I finished and reported back.

So when you and Aamir met for this, didn't you guys talk about whatever you've said about each other in print?
I think it would have been childish, no? He asked me, 'Shah Rukh, should we talk about whatever happened?' I said no, because to be very honest it would have been very juvenile. Whatever I said, I said it with a sense of humour and I would find it very difficult to explain my sense of humour to anyone. If he has taken it seriously then I am immensely sad about it and I would never joke about him. I will find something else to joke about now. I think I will joke only about myself now.

What do you think went wrong with Billu?
I think it did okay finally. As a producer it did work and I have spoken to some of the distributors and whenever I see my film has fallen short, I return the money. So we worked that out so it does well for everyone. It was probably made at a couple of crores more than it should have but that's me but I think this was the level of the film.

You did a small film and it didn't work. Will that stop you from doing a similar film again?
Billu started as a small film but look where it got to eventually. Right now, I know what I am doing I am doing a Khan, Raavan, Happy New Year and Don 2, so where is the time to do a small film in between all this? But as a producer, I will make films which will be relatively small with directors like Roshan Abbas and there a couple more of these small films which will be coming out of my banner.

A lot of actors campaigned for different political parties. Were you approached too?
Yes, I have been approached but I will never do it. See I have friends in politics and they asked me but I think it would be wrong of me to speak for someone just because that person is a friend.
Can I promote you because I like you? I don't know how well you do what you do.

There are two issues: I have one with campaigning. I don't know what I am promoting like soap, or a drink or whatever I can sell. But my lack of knowledge about politics is enough of a reason for me to stay away. As it is, I have my share of controversies without being a part of politics (laughs). Also I have friends from all kinds of parties I love Sonia Gandhi and I love Atal Bihari Bajpyee too I have met them and they have been very nice to me. Similarly someone like Mr Modi... I see him and find him very organised but regardless of all this, do I know how it all works? No. And only on a friendly level to campaign for someone, I think it is too responsible a position to be in I am not deriding Sanju or Salman, God bless them and they must know all this. Thirdly, my going somewhere is only going to bring in the entertainment value, I don't play the cricketer in IPL I bring in the eyeballs just because I am a movie star.

Going and asking for votes is not going to ensure that that candidate is going to win, if that was the case then my team would've won every match.

Fan gives tips to Shah Rukh Khan!

Dear Mr. Shahrukh Khan,

I am sorry about the state of affairs in your Kolkata Knight Riders. You are too good, but it does not mean that all around you will also be good.

KKR coach John Buchnan created an awful controversy of captaincy, then Ganguly was axed despite you and Buchanan being heard and seen telling all the world that ‘ dada’ is the jewel in the crown.

Then you also employed a very top heavy support staff and ratio of players to support staff is almost 1:1, which leads to nothing but confusion. Your team is also very huge in numbers, which needs to be pruned drastically.

When contracting players, you need to see their suitability for the shortest version of the game and not go by their past reputation. Unfortunately, that seems to have been the case and many of your players have not clicked in this version despite they being very good players otherwise.

I have a few suggestions:-

1. Employ an administrative manager cum security manager to look the day to day requirements of the team.

2. Replace the coach with an Indian coach, say Mohinder Amarnath, or anybody with equal amount of experience.

3. Prune the support staff to a reasonable level.

4. Announce that Sourav Ganguly will be the Captain for the next season.( Or you can do that even for the balance period of this season too, immediately).

5. Some of your better players have not been used till now, why? Please explore and take remedial measures.

By: A.R. Prabhakar (SRK Fan)