Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Writing: Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijit Joshi, Sreerag Nambiar

Actors: Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Anushka Sharma, Bomani Irani, Saurabh Shukla,

 
Director Raju Hirani and actor Aamir Khan address the subject of religion deftly with an incredible lightness. They acknowledge it’s a touchy topic and thus walking on egg shells, they tread lightly on the topics of saints and god-men/women. From the same team as 3 Idiots and Lage Raho Munnabhai, PK is entertaining. Come prepared with an open mind and leave religious fanaticism at home.

 
The clueless PK (Aamir Khan) seems out-of-sorts and confused. He's a Bhojpuri speaking, paan chewing fellow who steals clothes from "dancing cars" and money from temples. Innocent, often unclothed, and confused by the complexities of life including religion, our guileless friend is often mistaken as being drunk, hence the name PK.

PK is a misfit on planet earth. From a galaxy far, far away, he emerges from a spaceship (flying saucer, what else) buck naked with a glittering medallion round his neck and ears that pop out. The first half of the film is filled with misadventures of an alien trying hard to fit in. Naturally, his chances of survival are slim as earthlings in India confuse him thoroughly with their way of life and beliefs.

 
PK morphs into a star-crossed romance between two students. Jaggu (Anushka Sharma) is learning TV production when she runs into the incredibly charming Sarfaraz, an architecture student from Pakistan. Their warm interlude is interrupted when Jaggu’s parents threaten to disown her for daring to fall in love with a Muslim from India’s rival Pakistan. Her father immediately enlists the support of a self-proclaimed Hindu saint (Saurabh Shukla) who cautions Jaggu to mistrust her lover’s intentions since he’s from a different faith. That seed of an idea about distrusting mankind is taken forward by Khan.

PK is in search of a precious thing that got stolen and that path happens to go through a powerful self-proclaimed saint. PK's innocent, straightforward questions rile the religious zealots who then attack him to "protect their god". Through fun and games, the film highlights several pertinent issues, mainly focusing on religious dogmatism. No religion is spared, and each one's "managers" exposed for their business that thrives on people's fear.


Few questions this film raises are: are all people who claim to be saint corrupt or are there genuine ones among them? Here are saints who produce gold chains out of thin air, offer diet prasad, and fool unsuspecting troubled folk. PK is a memorable character that makes us emotionally invest in him right from the time we meet him. Aamir Khan performs this character will full vigor, heart and humor. With his confusion-laden reasoning, his hilarious escapades and his innocuous mannerism, Aamir plays PK masterfully.

The pace quickens during the climax and things are wrapped up in a neat little package at the end. PK makes for an entertaining one-time watch. Their hearts are in the right place, but this drama would have benefitted hugely from tighter editing and enhanced screen time for cameo stars Sushant Singh Rajput and Boman Irani. Sanjay Dutt, in an extended cameo as a large-hearted villager, pitches in perfectly.

The music track Tharki Chokro and Battery Recharge has taken fans by storm. Traders are expecting Lingaa and PK to lock horns in a big way. Both the films will be fighting hard to get the best screens and maximum number of theatres to have wider release. While the North India will be completely dominated by the Hindi movie, Lingaa is expected to rule the South Indian Box Office. The biggest fight will be at international circuits.