The pre-movie disclaimer, a pretty standard one these days, drew a chuckle out of me. It went:

"The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any resemblance to the names, characters or history of any person living or dead is coincidental and unintentional."

Seriously, Aditya Chopra, you think anyone is going to buy that?

For Fan is anything but coincidental or unintentional. It's a film that was waiting to be made since the day Shah Rukh Khan became a superstar. It's also a reminder of why titles like 'King Khan' and 'Baadshah of Bollywood' were coined for the man.

The story centers on the eponymous fan and his misplaced sense of entitlement from his idol, both of whom are played by Khan.

As the fan, Gaurav Chandna, behind the jaw-dropping visual effects and makeup, lies a Shah Rukh Khan, stripped of all his stardom and completely vulnerable. After going through the motions in his last few pointless money-spinners, Khan shows us that when he starts acting, not many can match him.

Delhi-boy Gaurav's complete and utter surrender to his idol is brilliantly showcased, right from his room decked with photos of his idol (named Aryan Khanna), the wallpapers of the computers in the cyber café that he runs, to the need to travel WT (even at the cost of his life) to Mumbai and stay in the same hotel room that his hero stayed in.

Very soon, that fanaticism turns to hatred when his bubble breaks after the meeting with Aryan doesn't go as planned. Then the movie moves swiftly to London, Croatia and back to the by-lanes of Delhi, as Gaurav decides to destroy Aryan.

Maneesh Sharma's experiments with this movie are not just limited to a unique storyline. It's an action-packed thriller, devoid of any songs and without a lead actress or a semblance of a romantic track.

What I was expecting (and missed sorely) was more nods to Shah Rukh Khan's past works, and his journey and rise to become a superstar. A brilliant mela performance right at the beginning of the movie captures Khan's performances through the years. And, there's a song or two from his movies playing in the background, but that's about it.

If only Sharma had been bold enough to blur the line between fiction and reality, Fan would have made for a deeply intriguing watch. For starters, Shah Rukh Khan should have played himself, with his own name. Hiding behind the facade of Aryan Khanna robs the movie from a bit of its spunk.

Twice in the movie, there are establishing shots of Khan's home in Mumbai, Mannat. The scores of fans that rush towards it as he makes an appearance just to have a glimpse of their idol, is so beautifully captured, and goose-bump-inducing, mainly because it's inexplicably true. As the movie makes clear, such is the madness and utter passion of the fans, that even the actor who they are fans of, can't seem to grapple with it.

By no means is Fan a perfect movie. It is strewn with logical inconsistencies throughout. For instance, Gaurav's uncanny resemblance to Aryan isn't noticed by anyone for half the movie. A middle-class boy from Delhi seems to have unending resources to travel to London and Croatia, and also has direct access to the mobile number of the biggest superstar in the country.

A couple of chase sequences, while beautifully captured by cinematographer Manu Anand, seem to go on and on, while the climax isn't entirely going to please a legion of SRK faithfuls.

However, all of that is overshadowed in comparison to the fan himself. Gaurav Chandna is a Shah Rukh Khan protagonist antagonist (?) that will further cement his legacy. He brings together the maniacal obsession of Rahul Mehra (Darr) and the ruthless, vindictive streak of Ajay Malhotra (Baazigar).

This movie is strictly for Shah Rukh Khan loyalists, those of us who've 'ooh'ed and 'aah'ed when he tells Simran to 'palat', or when he brings Pooja 'aur paas' or when he's talking about the importance of 'sattar minute', or scores of other moments that have made men and women alike, swoon over him.

Go watch Fan to remember why you fell in love with Shah Rukh Khan in the first place.

And for anyone who finds this movie ludicrous, rehne de, tu nahi samjhega.