| Main Hoon Na | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Farah Khan |
| Screenplay by | Farah Khan Abbas Tyrewala Rajesh Saathi |
| Dialogues by | Abbas Tyrewala |
| Story by | Farah Khan |
| Produced by | Gauri Khan Ratan Jain |
| Starring | Shah Rukh Khan Sushmita Sen Suniel Shetty Zayed Khan Amrita Rao |
| Cinematography | V. Manikandan |
| Edited by | Shirish Kunder |
| Music by | Score: Ranjit Barot Songs: Anu Malik |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Eros International Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 182 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | ₹89.7 crore[2] |
Main Hoon Na (transl. I'm Here) is a 2004Hindi-languageaction drama film directed byFarah Khan and produced byGauri Khan and Ratan Jain under the bannersRed Chillies Entertainment andVenus Movies. The film, which marks Farah Khan's directorial debut, starsShah Rukh Khan,Sushmita Sen,Suniel Shetty,Amrita Rao andZayed Khan, alongsideKirron Kher,Murali Sharma,Kabir Bedi,Boman Irani, andNaseeruddin Shah.[3] In the film,Major Ram Prasad Sharma is sent on acovert mission to pose as a college student and protect thegeneral's daughter from a dangerous rogue soldier and reunite with his father’s long lost family.[4]
Development for the film began as early as 2001; however, it faced a number of delays during production.Main Hoon Na is notable for approaching theIndo-Pakistani conflict from a neutral perspective. Filming took place atSt. Paul's School and the surrounding state ofWest Bengal. The film is also the first production of Red Chillies Entertainment.[5]
Main Hoon Na was released on 30 April 2004 to positive reviews from critics and became a commercial success by grossing ₹84 crore, thus becoming thesecond highest-grossing Indian film of 2004, only surpassed by another Shah Rukh Khan-starrerVeer-Zaara.[6]
At the50th Filmfare Awards,Main Hoon Na received 12 nominations, includingBest Film,Best Director (Farah),Best Actor (Shah Rukh),Best Supporting Actress (Rao),Best Supporting Actor (Zayed) andBest Villain (Shetty), winningBest Music Director (Anu Malik). A snippet of "Lament" from Light of Aiden (Celtic Version) is used throughout the film.
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India and Pakistan launchProject Milaap, aprisoner exchange program, in an attempt to de-escalatetensions between the two nations. Raghavan Dutta, a former Indianspecial forces soldier discharged for executingPakistani citizens in revenge for his son's death, runs a militant group with a former comrade,Captain Khan, where he sets against peace between the two rival countries. During apress conference, Raghavan attempts to shootGeneral Amarjeet Bakshi, butBrigadier Shekhar Sharma takes the bullet for him. On his deathbed, Shekhar informs his son,Major Ram Prasad, that his wife and Ram's stepmother, Madhu, and their son and Ram's half-brother, Lakshman Prasad, who is also known as Lucky, had abandoned him 20 years ago since Shekhar had cheated on Madhu with Ram's late biological mother. Shekhar requests Ram to reconcile with his estranged family and that his ashes will be immersed by both his sons, stating that he can finally be at peace only if his family forgives him.
Meanwhile, General Bakshi sends Ram on anundercover operation to protect his estranged daughter, Sanjana, who is studying at St. Paul's College inDarjeeling. Ram reluctantly accepts when Bakshi informs him that Lucky is also studying in the same college. Bakshi convinces Ram to enter the college as a student than as a teacher, in order to better watch over Sanjana. Upon arriving, Ram struggles with adjusting to college life as he is much older than all the students, including some professors. Ram encounters Sanjana and her crush, but both do not want to be near him due to his age. A college student helps Ram hack the college computer to find out Lucky's identity, only to learn that Lucky is actually Sanjana's crush. During a race to capture the college flag from the roof, Lucky ends up hanging off the roof of the university, but Ram heroically saves his life. As a result, both Lucky and Sanjana agree to befriend Ram, who soon moves in with Lucky and Madhu as well. Outside a theatre, Ram saves one of his classmates, Percy, from an attempted murder by Khan, and captures Khan in the process. However, Ram's own identity is discovered by Raghavan, who then arrives at the university masquerading as the newphysics professor after his gang kidnaps Madhav Rasai, a physics professor, and threatens him to resign and recommend Raghavan as "Professor Raghav Dutta" in his place.
Ram also brings Madhu and Lakshman closer by helping them bond during his stay there. Meanwhile, Ram falls in love with hischemistry professor, Chandni, while Lucky also falls in love with Sanjana after Ram and Chandni give her amakeover. During aprom, Ram thwarts Raghavan's gang from abducting Chandni. After meeting with Sanjana, Ram requests Raghavan to drop them both off with her father at her hostel, where Sanjana reconciles with her father. After that night, Sanjana and Chandni discover Ram's true identity as an army officer. At the same time, Raghavan learns about Ram and Lucky's relationship and reveals Ram's true identity to Lucky and Madhu.
On being confronted by Lucky and Madhu, Ram breaks the news of Shekhar's death and informs them that Shekhar's last wish was that they reconcile. As they are unwilling to accept him yet, Ram leaves their home and the university, but his revelation shocks them. Later, Raghavan holds the whole university hostage and demands the cancellation of Project Milaap along with the return of Captain Khan and Ram as hostages in exchange for all the students' and teachers' lives. On being informed about this situation, Ram immediately returns to the university; along the way he encounters Madhu and apologizes to her for having concealed his true identity.
At the university, Ram informs Khan that Raghavan is doing nothing for the country and is only carrying out a misplacedfeud on the Pakistanis for killing his son, and offers an opportunity to Khan to do something for the country. Accompanying Khan, Ram enters the building and gets subsequently shot by Khan. Ram survives, and Khan informs him that his heart has changed regarding his allegiances and proceeds to kill the guards, thus freeing the students. Raghavan shoots Khan dead atpoint blank range for his betrayal. During a prolonged combat between Ram and Raghavan, Ram finally kills Raghavan by removing thesafety pin from the latter's hand grenade.
Lucky helps Ram escape from the ensuing explosion from aboard ahelicopter and the two happily embrace each other as brothers. Project Milaap is a success and all the prisoners are exchanged triumphantly. Ram and Lucky immerse Shekhar's ashes together with Madhu tearfully looking on. In the end, Lucky and Ram finally graduate, and the entire university rejoices.
Development for the film had begun in 2001. Filming was scheduled to begin in October 2001, but later that year,Shah Rukh Khan had injured himself while shooting forShakti: The Power (2002), and had to be treated in theUK, leading to the film being shelved.Farah Khan revived the film in 2003 following Khan's recovery. Farah initially titled the film asThe Outsider but changed it upon the suggestion of her friends. Khan was unhappy with the film's title at that time, believing it was too short, but changed his mind upon listening to the film's title song.
Upon the film's revival in 2003,Hrithik Roshan,Farhan Akhtar andSohail Khan were all offered to play the role of Lucky. None of the three accepted due to unknown reasons, leading toZayed Khan getting cast.Ameesha Patel was offered the role of Sanju, but declined due to date issues, as did newcomerAyesha Takia, after whichAmrita Rao was cast.[7]
Shah Rukh Khan asked Farah Khan to approachKamal Haasan, suggesting that Haasan owed him a favor for his role inHey Ram.[8] Haasan read the script, but turned down the role citing that it would portray him as an anti-national.[9]
| Main Hoon Na | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 27 February 2004 |
| Recorded | YRF Studios(Mumbai) |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Language | Hindi |
| Label | T-Series |
| Producer | Anu Malik |
The film's music was composed byAnu Malik,[10] with lyrics written byJaved Akhtar. The soundtrack earned Malik his secondFilmfare Award for Best Music Director. According to the Indian trade websiteBox Office India, with around 2.1 million units sold, the film's soundtrack album was one of the highest selling Bollywood soundtracks of the year.Sonu Nigam received several award nominations and won anMTV Immies Best Male Playback Singer Award.[11][12]
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Main Hoon Na" | Sonu Nigam,Shreya Ghoshal | 06:02 |
| 2. | "Tumse Milke Dilka Jo Haal" | Sonu Nigam, Altaf Sabri, Hashim Sabri,Ravi Khote | 06:00 |
| 3. | "Tumhe Jo Maine Dekha" | Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Shreya Ghoshal | 05:42 |
| 4. | "Gori Gori" | Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal,K.K.,Anu Malik | 04:30 |
| 5. | "Chale Jaise Hawaien" | Vasundhara Das, K.K. | 05:25 |
| 6. | "Main Hoon Na (Sad Version)" | Abhijeet Bhattacharya | 04:18 |
| 7. | "Yeh Fizayein" | K.K.,Alka Yagnik | 05:19 |
| 8. | "Main Hoon Na (Remix)" | Ranjit Barot | 02:31 |
| Total length: | 43:55 | ||
Main Hoon Na received positive reviews from critics for masala genre, songs, acting, and directing.
Taran Adarsh ofBollywood Hungama wrote "Main Hoon Na reinforces your faith in Bollywood commercial cinema. The film is a wholesome entertainer that has something for everyone."[13] Jamie Russell ofBBC wrote "A bonkers 'masala' movie, Main Hoon Na could be the mutant offspring ofGrease andThe Matrix. Part-thriller, part high-school comedy and all Bollywood musical, it's the directorial debut of Farah Khan."[14] Siddharth Patankar ofNDTV termed the movie as "an out and out entertainer. Masala, romance, family drama, and some good old fashioned dhishoom dhishoom," and was positive of the performances.[15]
Main Hoon Na was the second-highest grossing Indian film of 2004 behindVeer-Zaara (also aShahrukh Khan-starrer set against India-Pakistan backdrop).[16] It made₹480 million (US$5.7 million) in India and an additional₹19 million (US$220,000) in the overseas market.
| 50th Filmfare Awards[17] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Recipients and Nominees | Results | ||||||||
| Best Film | Red Chillies Entertainment | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Director | Farah Khan | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Actor | Shahrukh Khan | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Amrita Rao | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Zayed Khan | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Villain | Suniel Shetty | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Comedian | Boman Irani | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Music Director | Anu Malik | Won | ||||||||
| Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar | Nominated | ||||||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam (for "Main Hoon Na") | Nominated | ||||||||
| Sonu Nigam (for "Tumse Milke") | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Action | Allan Amin | Nominated | ||||||||
| Global Indian Film Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Recipients and Nominees | Results | |||
| Best Director | Farah Khan | Won | |||
| Best Actor | Shahrukh Khan | Won | |||
| Best Villain | Suniel Shetty | Won | |||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Abhijeet Bhattacharya (for "Tumhe Jo Maine Dekha") | Won | |||
| Best Art Director | Sabu Cyril | Won | |||
| Best Action | Allan Amin | Won | |||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Recipients and Nominees | Results | ||||
| Best Director | Farah Khan | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Zayed Khan | Nominated | ||||
| Best Villain | Suniel Shetty | Nominated | ||||
| Best Debut Director | Farah Khan | Won | ||||
| Best Music Director | Anu Malik | Nominated | ||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam (for "Main Hoon Na") | Nominated | ||||
| Best Special Effects | Rajtaru Video Sonic, Eagle Video Films | Won | ||||
| Star Screen Awards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Recipients and Nominees | Results | ||||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Zayed Khan | Nominated | ||||||
| Best Music Director | Anu Malik | Won | ||||||
| Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar (for "Main Hoon Na") | Nominated | ||||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam (for "Main Hoon Na") | Won | ||||||
| Best Background Music | Ranjit Barot | Nominated | ||||||
| Best Choreography | Farah Khan (for "Gori Gori") | Nominated | ||||||
| Best Action | Allan Amin | Nominated | ||||||
| Best Publicity Design | Rahul Nanda and Himanshu Nanda | Nominated | ||||||
| Best Sound Recording | Shirish Kunder and Rakesh Ranjan | Nominated | ||||||
| Zee Cine Awards | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Recipients and Nominees | Results | |||||||||
| Best Film (Critics) | Red Chillies Entertainment | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Director | Farah Khan | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Actor (Critics) | Shahrukh Khan | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Sushmita Sen | Nominated | |||||||||
| Most Promising Director | Farah Khan | Won | |||||||||
| Best Female Debut | Won | ||||||||||
| Best Music Director | Anu Malik | Won | |||||||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam (for "Main Hoon Na") | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Track of the Year | "Tumse Milke" | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Background Score | Ranjit Barot | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Art Direction | Sabu Cyril | Nominated | |||||||||
| Best Costume Design | Karan Johar andManish Malhotra | Nominated | |||||||||
The film was remade inTamil asAegan and was released on 27 October 2008.[18]
A sequel titledMain Bhi Hoon Na is currently in development.[19]
