I just rewatched My Name is Khan and now that I have the movie fresh in my mind I want to respond to it. The first feeling that comes to my mind is of how powerful and emotional this movie is. Rizwan was the perfect protagonist. What made him so perfect as a protagonist in a movie like this, that has a powerful message against racism and prejudice, was his disability, Asperger's Syndrome. Many injustices were done to Rizwan throughout his life, from the time when he was bullied in school ,while in India, by the other kids to the time when he was agressively searched by the San Francisco International Airport security. These injustices were greatly amplified to us as the viewers because of the fact that he could not express his emotions, he couldn't even cry. The fact that we know that he is innocent and defenseless makes what happens to him feel even worse because he can't defend himself.
In this movie, Rizwan also plays the role of the voice of reason. From the time he was taught by his Ammi that there were only two people in the world, good people and bad people, he lived by this code and he never changed throughout the movie. By doing this he embodies what is good. The fact that he marries Mandira out of pure love regardless of her religion is proof that he lived by this code. I think that Rizwan's character is the ideal character to posses as fellow human beings, always, but espacially after terrible harm has been done to us like when 9/11 occured. By being able to control ourselves and our emotions during a time of pain, we could be able to think clearly and not blame innocents as it happened with Rizwan's sister in law while she was walking and was thrown to the ground by an idiot who stupedly believed she was a terrorist or with Sam's death by the hands of a bunch of racist bullies. To say the least, I really enjoyed this movie, again.
