# Main Hoon Na

Main Hoon Na (transl. I'm Here) is a 2004 Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Farah Khan and produced by Gauri Khan and Ratan Jain under Red Chillies Entertainment and Venus Movies. The film, which marks Farah Khan's directorial debut, stars Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Suniel Shetty, Amrita Rao and Zayed Khan, alongside Kirron Kher, Murali Sharma, Kabir Bedi, Boman Irani, and Naseeruddin Shah. In the film, Major Ram Prasad Sharma is sent on a covert mission to pose as a college student and protect the general's daughter from a dangerous rogue soldier and reunite with his father’s long lost family.
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 the Indo-Pakistani conflict from a neutral perspective. Filming took place at St. Paul's School and the surrounding state of West Bengal. The film is also the first production of Red Chillies Entertainment.
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 the second highest-grossing Indian film of 2004, only surpassed by another Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Veer-Zaara.
At the 50th Filmfare Awards, Main Hoon Na received 12 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Farah), Best Actor (Shah Rukh), Best Supporting Actress (Rao), Best Supporting Actor (Zayed) and Best Villain (Shetty), winning Best Music Director (Anu Malik). A snippet of "Lament" from Light of Aiden (Celtic Version) is used throughout the film.

## Plot

India and Pakistan launch Project Milaap, a prisoner exchange program, in an attempt to de-escalate tensions between the two nations. During a press conference hosted by television anchor Rajat Saxena in India, Raghavan Dutta, an ex-Indian special forces soldier discharged for executing Pakistani citizens in revenge for his son's death, fires a shot at General Amarjeet Bakshi, but Brigadier Shekhar Sharma takes the bullet. Raghavan runs a militant group with a former comrade, Captain Khan, where he sets against peace between the two rival countries.
On his deathbed, Shekhar informs his son Major Ram Prasad Sharma about his other son Lakshman Prasad Sharma and wife Madhu, who left him 20 years ago because Shekhar had cheated on his wife with Ram's mother. Shekhar asks Ram to bring his family together and that his ashes will be immersed by his sons, saying that he can finally be at peace if his family forgives him.
Meanwhile, General Bakshi sends Ram on a covert mission to protect his daughter Sanjana, who studies at St. Paul's College in Darjeeling. Ram is initially hesitant, but agrees when Bakshi informs him that Lakshman is also studying in Darjeeling. General Bakshi convinces Ram to go there as a student as he won't be able to spend enough time with Sanjana if he goes as a teacher. Ram finds it tough to adjust to college life as he is much older than everyone. Ram encounters Sanjana and her love interest Lucky, but both don't want to be near him due to his age.
A college student helps Ram hack the college computer to find out about Lakshman's identity only to find that Lakshman is actually Lucky. At that moment, during a race to get the college flag from the roof, Lakshman ends up hanging off the university's roof but is rescued by Ram. The two of them and Sanjana become friends and soon Ram moves in with Lakshman and Madhu. Outside a theatre, Ram saves his classmate Percy from an assassination attempt by Khan, where he captures Khan, but his own identity is found out by Raghavan, who arrives at the university masquerading as a teacher after his group kidnaps Madhav Rasai, a physics professor, and threatens him to resign and recommend their boss Professor "Raghav Dutta" in his place.
Ram also brings Madhu and Lakshman closer by helping them bond during his stay there. Ram falls in love with his chemistry professor Chandni, while Lakshman falls in love with Sanjana after Ram and Chandni give her a makeover. At a prom, Raghavan orders a kidnapping on Chandni, but she is saved by Ram. After meeting with Sanjana, Ram requests Raghavan to drop the pair off with her father at her hostel, where Sanjana reconciles with her father. After this night, Sanjana and Chandni discover Ram's true identity as an army officer. Raghavan finds out Ram and Lakshman's relationship and reveals Ram's true identity to Lakshman and his mother.
When Lakshman and Madhu confront Ram, Ram informs them that Shekhar's last wish implored him to reconcile with his family. As they are not ready to accept him yet, Ram leaves their home and the university, but his revelation shocks them. Later, Raghavan holds the 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. Upon being informed, Ram immediately returns to the university. Before fully entering the hostage situation, Ram encounters Madhu and apologizes.
Knowing what Ram is about to do, Madhu accepts him as a son. Ram tells Khan about Raghavan doing nothing for the country and is only carrying out a misplaced vendetta on the Pakistanis for killing his son and gives him a chance to do something for the country. Accompanying Khan, Ram enters the building and gets subsequently shot by Khan. Ram survives, and Khan tells him that he has changed his mind about his allegiances and proceeds to kill the guards, thus freeing the students. Raghavan shoots Khan dead at point blank range for his betrayal. A fight ensues between Ram and Raghavan. Ram kills Raghavan by removing the safety pin from the latter's hand grenade.
Lakshman helps Ram escape from the ensuing explosion from aboard a helicopter and the two happily embrace as brothers. Project Milaap is a success and all the prisoners are exchanged triumphantly. Ram and Lakshman immerse their father's ashes together as Madhu tearfully looks on. Lakshman and Ram finally graduate from the university, and the entire university rejoices.

## Cast

* Shah Rukh Khan as Major Ram Prasad Sharma.
* Suniel Shetty as Raghavan Dutta, an ex-army Major and terrorist
* Sushmita Sen as Chandini Chopra, Ram, Sanjana and Laxman’s chemistry teacher and Ram’s love interest
* Amrita Rao as Sanjana "Sanju" Bakshi, General Amarjeet's daughter
* Zayed Khan as Laxman Prasad “Lucky” Sharma, Ram's half-brother and Sanju’s love interest
* Boman Irani as Yogendra "Yogi" Agarwal, college principal
* Kirron Kher as Madhu Sharma, Ram's stepmother and Lucky's mother
* Bindu as Mrs. Sonali Kakkar
* Murali Sharma as Captain Khan, an ex-army Captain and Raghavan's second-in-command
* Kunal Kumar as Baman Shastri, Ram's friend
* 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)
* Satish Shah as Prof. Madhav Rasai
* Rakhi Sawant as Mini
* Praveen Sirohi as Vivek
* Rajiv Panjabi as Percy
* Nassar Abdullah as Rajat Saxena, Project Milaap's TV host
* Tabu as Aparna (uncredited cameo appearance)
* Geeta Kapoor as girl dancing in song "Gori Gori" (cameo appearance)
* Sajid Khan as band member in song "Gori Gori" (guest appearance)

## Production
### Development

The film was planned by Farah Khan and Shah Rukh 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 due to which he suffered pain in filming for his other projects. He was later sent to the UK for treatment and the film was subsequently shelved. The film was later revived in 2003 after Shahrukh Khan came back from the UK. 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 Shah Rukh 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 favor for his role in Hey Ram. Haasan heard the script, but turned down the role citing that it would portray him as an anti-national.

## 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 one of the highest selling Bollywood soundtracks of the year. Sonu Nigam received several award nominations and won an MTV Immies Best Male Playback Singer Award.

### Track listing
## Reception

Main Hoon Na received positive reviews from critics.

### Critical reception

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote "Main Hoon Na reinforces your faith in Bollywood commercial cinema. The film is a wholesome entertainer that has something for everyone." Jamie Russell of BBC wrote "A bonkers 'masala' movie, Main Hoon Na could be the mutant offspring of Grease and The Matrix. Part-thriller, part high-school comedy and all Bollywood musical, it's the directorial debut of Farah Khan." Siddharth Patankar of NDTV 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.

### 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 ₹480 million (US$5.5 million) in India and an additional ₹19 million (US$220,000) in the overseas market.

## Awards and nominations

50th Filmfare Awards :
| 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 |
| Best Male Playback Singer | 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 | Farah Khan | 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 and Manish Malhotra | Nominated |

## Remake

The film was remade in Tamil as Aegan and was released in 27 October 2008.

## Sequel

A sequel titled Main Bhi Hoon Na is currently in development.