My Name is Khan is an unusual Bollywood movie and the soundtrack follows suit. The story concerns a young Indian Muslim with Asperger’s syndrome, living in San Francisco at the start of the last decade with his beautiful Indian wife. Khan’s life is shattered post-911. His wife weaves him when troubles strike and anti-Muslim prejudice makes his life precarious.
Director Karan Johar’s film becomes a cross-country trek as Khan tries to win back the love of his life. The music, composed by the Bollywood team of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, ranges as widely as the protagonist. The soundtrack CD (released by Sony Music) includes familiar Bollywood elements, including passionate vocals and popularized versions of traditional Indian rhythms and melodies, often lush with strings and synthesizers and set to a tabla drumbeat. But in keeping with its American setting, S-E-L incorporate aspects of rock and even country to mirror the land of Khan’s journey.
