I don't want to speak for everyone else, but on a personal level i felt that the flaws in MNIK doesn't have to do with the acting really, i thought SRK did a great job portraying a person with asbergers, and kajol too wasnt bad. It isnt even the overall message johar is trying to put out there, which is a fairly good one. I think to start of with, My Name is Khan is flawed on more than one level. I think straightaway i felt that it had wayyy to many issues on its plate and trying to tackle all of them at once came off as hasty and ended up jumbling together to make the audience confused of what the MAIN issue was in the first place.
Maybe this is just me but it hought the movie was a bit exxagerated in certain parts too. I know that bollywood films in general arnt mean to showcase a great example of how things really are, but for a movie trying so hard to put out some harsh truths and break down sterotypes it over-did a few parts and also had stereotypes in its own plot. For one thing, Kajol's son dies via a SOCCER BALL throw fest? really? was i the only one who thought that was a tad bit ridiculous. Also stemming from that, how Kajol basically blamed her childs death on Rizwan. wth, how does that enforce anything positive about her character? Which johar tries to ham up during the first half of the movie prior to the death. She basically tells an autistic man with a muslim last name that her son is dead because of him and tells him to get out of her life. -__-''. This not only makes me question her character, but their entire marriage.
Secondly, i think the stupidest part of the entire movie was the katrina bit, where apparently the muslim community is the only community in America that is willing to help the victims of Hurrican Katrina? That was the most retarded 'im gonna add something random and heartbreaking now to earn the main character some street cred' scene i have ever seen. To also further point out the stereotypes MNIK has, all the black people sound and look like they hopped out of dr.dolittle, being 'good-natured', overweight and speaking in extremley stereotypical 'i am a friendly black woman' slang language. Also all the FBI agents were dumb and red-necky, and apparently everyones in Mandira's sons school seem to think all muslims are terrorists. Like i felt like johar just SET UP these incredibley over-the-top racist situations without any build up or credibility in which rizwan COULD be seen as a sole hero.
Ultimatley, My Name Is Khan has its heart in the right place, it just goes on to try to make some of its points in wierd over-the-top hammy ways. Which is typical Johar style, so overall i dont think he really broke away from his usual style of taking movies, he just tackled a different topic. I thought SRK's acting was touching though, and did feel that the message the movie was trying to convey though dramatized throughout the movie is essentially a good one.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
CID
3