I like SRK and I don't like SRK.

Let me explain. I like SKR the actor and I don't like SRK the star.

Let me explain even further. SKR the actor is the one we saw in CHAK DE India and DIL SE. SRK the star is the one we saw in KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA and OM SHANTI OM.

Last month I saw two movies I thought I was not going to like. I went to see AVATAR with a preconceived notion that I am not going to like it because I am not a big fan of animated movies nor I like Sci-Fi as such. I am glad I watched AVATAR and I really liked it.

The other movie was Three Idiots. My only problem with the movie was that the hype and feedback from my peers had taken my expectations too high and I though the film will not be able to deliver. It still did. I went to see MNIK without any biases. I went with an open heart and wanted to like movie and to be honest, it did not start bad either. It was the second half that ruined everything for me.

The positives to start with are

SRK the actor. He has put up an admirable performance. His body language, his eyes and his consistency throughout the film shows his ability as an actor. His dialog delivery, although highly inspired from Tom Hanks of Forrest Gump as expected, still is charming. He has played the character with devotion and sincerity unlike his KANK and OSO portrayals. Young Tanay as young Rizwan is even better. Comic scenes are decent.

The research work that has been done for the movie. References to the Holy Quran, history of people and cities and Asperger's syndrome. Watch out for the scene in the mosque where Rizwan confronts a terrorist recruiter.

Cinematography the DOP has done a brilliant job and this is an area in which the movie is at par with Three Idiots. Just for the records, he is the same DOP that delivered Dil Chahta Hai, Gajini and Yuva.

The biggest problem with the movie is its story. There is no story. They have a character of Rizwan Khan and they have done excellent character sketching for the man but how the story unfolds itself as the film progresses, believability index touches rock bottom. FBI's inability to find killers of a boy from the school creates doubts, Kajol reaction to her problem is ridiculous and Khan's attempts to save the hurricane affected people are funny. Surprising how he can reach there with the entire group and nobody else can. A few Bollywood touches in the end were of course unavoidable.

Kajol is good but she always is. She does not outdo her previous performances, something we see Amir Khan doing in every film of his. Shibani Bathija is a weak story teller. Her previous ventures KANK and KIDNAP also lacked the killer instincts. She fails to take control of the story which might have a decent central idea.

Karan Johar the director puts in a good effort to save the story. I am not saying a great effort but a good effort nonetheless. Karan Johar the producer, I have an advice for him. K Jo, please focus on soft romantic comedies. I have heard you did a bad job in Kurbaan and I have seen you did a bad job in MNIK. Leave the social issues to Amir Khan. Had MNIK been released in 1999 or 2000, it might have created history. It still might be a success because of SRK, Kajol and Karan Johar but it will never become a phenomenon. The bar for emotional movies has been raised by Taare Zameen Par and Three Idiots to a level that mediocre efforts will not be able to change opinions.

I'm glad I did not spend my own money to watch it and watched it on special screening.

My friends, My Name is Sami and I did not like the movie.