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Main Hoon Na

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Wikipedia article




'Main Hoon Na' is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language masala film written and directed by Farah Khan in her directorial debut. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Sunil Shetty, Amrita Rao, Sushmita Sen and Zayed Khan and follows Ram Sharma, an Indian soldier sent undercover as a university student to protect a general's daughter from a dangerous rogue soldier.Rajinder Dudrah, Rajinder Kumar Dudrah 'Bollywood Travels: Culture, Diaspora and Border Crossings in Popular Hindi Cinema' Routledge (2012) p. 18

The film began development in 2001, and faced a number of delays during production. 'Main Hoon Na' is notable for approaching the Indo-Pakistani conflict from a neutral perspective. It was filmed at St. Paul's School and the surrounding state of West Bengal. The film is also the first produced and distributed by Red Chillies Entertainment, and is produced by Gauri Khan. Initially scheduled for release in 2003, 'Main Hoon Na' was released worldwide on 30 April 2004. The movie received positive reviews with praise towards the music, humour, action sequences, performances and direction though the length and pace were criticised.

The film set numerous box-office records during its theatrical run, and with over in revenue worldwide, it was the second highest-grossing Indian film of 2004, only surpassed by another Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Veer-Zaara'. 'Main Hoon Na' received 12 nominations at the 50th Filmfare Awards, including Best Film, Best Director for Farah Khan, Best Actor for Shah Rukh Khan, Best Supporting Actor for Zayed Khan, and Best Supporting Actress for Rao. It won for Best Music Director for Anu Malik.

Plot



Over an attempt to de-escalate tensions between the two nations, India and Pakistan launch Project Milaap, a prisoner exchange program. Raghavan Dutta, a former Indian special forces soldier discharged for murdering Pakistani citizens in revenge for the murder of his son, fires a shot at Gen. Bakshi, but Brigadier Shekhar Sharma takes the bullet at a press conference. Raghavan runs a militant group with a former comrade Captain Khan, set against peace between the countries. On his deathbed, Shekhar informs his son, fellow soldier Major Ram, of his other son Lakshman, and asks Ram to reconcile with his family as they had separated very long ago because Shekhar had cheated on his wife with Ram's mother. Meanwhile, Ram's boss, Gen. Bakshi, sends him undercover to protect his daughter Sanjana, who studies at St Pauls College in Darjeeling. Ram is initially hesitant to go there but agrees when Bakshi informs him that Lakshman also studies there. Ram finds it tough to adjust to college life because he is much older than everyone else. He encounters Sanjana and her love interest Lucky but both don't want to know him for this reason.

Meanwhile, another college student helps Ram hack the college computer to find out who Lakshman is only to find that Lucky is in fact Lakshman and during a marathon, is saved by Ram from falling from the university's roof. The trio becomes friends, and Ram moves in with Lakshman and his mother Madhu. Outside a cinema, Ram saves his classmate, Percy, from an assassination attempt by Khan; Ram captures him, but his true identity is found out by Raghavan, who arrives at the university masquerading as a teacher. Ram also brings Madhu and Lakshman closer by helping them bond during his stay there. Ram falls in love with his chemistry teacher, Chandni, while Lakshman falls in love with Sanjana (after Ram and Chandni give her a makeover). At prom, Raghavan orders a kidnapping on Chandni, but she is saved by Ram. After meeting with Sanjana, Ram requests Raghavan to drop the pair to her father at her hostel, following which Sanjana reconciles with her father. After this night, Sanjana and Chandni discover Ram's true identity. Raghavan reveals to Lakshman and his mother of Ram's true identity; Ram informs them his father's last wish implored him to reconcile with his family, but leaves their home and the university when they refuse to accept him.

Raghavan then holds the university hostage, demanding the cancelation of Project Milaap. Upon being informed, Ram immediately returns to the university. Before fully entering the hostage situation, he encounters Madhu and apologizes. Knowing what he's about to do, she accepts him as a son. Accompanying Khan, Ram enters the building, and is subsequently shot by Khan. Ram survives, changes Khan's mind, and kills the guards, freeing the students. Raghavan shoots Khan dead at point blank range for his betrayal. A fight ensues between Ram and Raghavan and Ram kills Raghavan by removing the safety pin from Raghavan's hand grenade. Lakshman helps Ram escape from the ensuing explosion from aboard a helicopter and the two happily embrace as brothers. Meanwhile, Project Milaap is a success and all the prisoners are exchanged triumphantly. Ram and Lakshman go and immerse their father's ashes together, as Madhu tearfully looks on. Finally, Lakshman is allowed to graduate alongside Ram and the entire university rejoice.

Cast



*Shah Rukh Khan as Major Ram Prasad Sharma

*Sunil Shetty as Ex-Major Raghavan Datta

*Amrita Rao as Sanjana "Sanju" Bakshi: General Amarjeet's daughter, and Laxman's love interest.

*Sushmita Sen as Chandni Chopra: Ram, Sanjana and Laxman's chemistry teacher and Ram's love interest.

*Zayed Khan as Laxman "Lucky" Prasad Sharma: Sanju's love interest.

*Boman Irani as Yogendra "Yogi" Agarwal, College Principal: who is very forgetful.

* Praveen Sirohi as Vivek: a jock student.

*Kiron Kher as Madhu Sharma: Ram's stepmother and Lucky's mother.

*Murali Sharma as Ex-Captain Khan: Raghavan's second-in-command.

*Kunal Kumar as Baman: A student who helps Ram hack into university's students' list to search for Lucky.

*Kabir Bedi as General Amarjeet Bakshi: Sanju's father, and Ram's superior officer.

*Naseeruddin Shah as Brig. Shekhar Prasad Sharma: Ram and Lucky's father. (special appearance)

*Bindu as Mrs. Sonali Kakkar: the Hindi teacher who is very bad at speaking English.

*Satish Shah as Professor Madhav Rasai: the Physics teacher who spits while speaking, and is very short-tempered.

*Rakhi Sawant as Mini: a flirtatious student.

* Nassar Abdullah as Project Milaap's TV host.

*Tabu as Aparna: A girl watching Ram's dance rehearsal (uncredited cameo)

*Geeta Kapoor as girl dancing in song "Gori Gori" (cameo)

*Sajid Khan as band member in song "Gori Gori"

* Rajeev Punjabi as Percy: a nerdy student.

Production



Development



The film was planned by Farah Khan and Shahrukh Khan in 2001. The shooting of the film had to begin in October 2001 but later that year, Shahrukh Khan got badly injured while shooting an action sequence for 'Shakti: The Power' (2002) due to which he suffered pain in filming for his other projects. He was later sent to England for treatment and the film was subsequently shelved. The film was later revived in 2003 after Shahrukh Khan came back from England; Farah Khan wanted to name it 'The Outsider'. After some of her friends suggested that the title she wants matches that of a 1983 Hollywood film, she finalized the title 'Main Hoon Na' for the film though Shahrukh Khan was unhappy at that time with the title, thinking the title was incomplete, but later changed his mind after listening to the recording of the film's title song.

Casting



At a time when the film was revived in 2003, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, and Sohail Khan were considered for Lucky's role. Due to unknown reasons, none of the three accepted the film; Zayed Khan was later signed. Ameesha Patel was offered Sanju's role but rejected the character due to date issues, as did then-newcomer Ayesha Takia when she was also approached who also declined, after which Amrita Rao was finalized for the role.

Shah Rukh Khan asked Farah Khan to approach Kamal Haasan, suggesting that Haasan owed him a favour for his role in 'Hey Ram' (2000). Kamal Haasan heard the script but turned down the role citing that it would portray him as an anti-national.

Reception



The film received generally positive response from all the critics. Critics praised the performances of Khan, Sen and Shetty.

Critical reception

Film analyst Taran Adarsh praised the film for being funny, emotional and full of action, describing it as "a wholesome entertainer that has something for everyone."

Jamie Russell wrote in his review in the 'BBC', "A bonkers 'masala' movie, 'Main Hoon Na' could be the mutant offspring of 'Grease' (1978) and 'The Matrix' (1999). Part-thriller, part high-school comedy and all Bollywood musical, it's the directorial debut of Farah Khan."[https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2004/04/28/main_hoon_na_2004_review.shtml Jamie Russell 'Main Hoon Na (2004)' 28 April 2004 BBC Movies]

Box office

'Main Hoon Na' was the second-highest grossing Indian film of 2004 behind 'Veer-Zaara' (also a Shahrukh Khan-starrer set against India-Pakistan backdrop). It made in India and an additional in the overseas market.

Soundtrack



The music was composed by Anu Malik. The lyrics were provided by Javed Akhtar. The soundtrack earned Malik his second Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. According to the Indian trade website 'Box Office India', with around 2.1 million units sold, the film's soundtrack album was the one of the highest selling Bollywood soundtrack of the year. Sonu Nigam received several award nominations and an MTV Immies Best Male Singer Award.



Track listing



Awards and nominations



'Main Hoon Na' received many awards and nominations:

Remake



In 2008, the film was remade in Tamil and released as 'Aegan'.

References




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