'My Name Is Khan' to screen at Berlin film festival

The latest Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol film "My Name Is Khan" has been selected to screen at the 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival, next year, according to the festival organisers.

Directed by Karan Johar and set in the US, "My Name Is Khan" will screen at one of the oldest and most respected film festivals in the world and in a country that has a growing appetite for Indian cinema.

The Berlin International Film Festival runs from Feb 11 to 21, 2010 and will host premieres from top filmmakers from dozens of countries including the world premiere of Martin Scorsese's next film "Shutter Island" starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Both Johar and Scorsese will be debuting their fourth feature films with actors Khan and DiCaprio, respectively.

"The Competition of the 60th anniversary Berlinale will be marked by a mix of styles and genres, by exciting newcomers and renowned directors," says festival director Dieter Kosslick.

"My Name Is Khan" is set to be released in theatres in India and over 40 countries including the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East on Feb 12 on Valentine's Day weekend.

In North America, it will be released by Fox Searchlight Pictures which previously released "The Namesake", "Bend It Like Beckham", "Water", and "Slumdog Millionaire".

An exclusive first-look trailer for "My Name Is Khan" will air on STAR TV on Wednesday (Oct 16), at 10:00 p.m. IST and will then be beamed across 70 countries worldwide.

In the film, Shah Rukh stars as Rizvan Khan, an unconventional hero who embarks on an incredible journey across America in order to win back the love of his life. Along the way his unique brand of goodness and humanity touches the lives of many and inspires a nation.

"My Name Is Khan" reunites Shah Rukh, named by Time magazine as "the world's biggest movie star", and Kajol for the first time in eight years. They were last seen together in "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" (2001).

They have previously starred in five films together, including "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" and "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", all of which were blockbuster hits that established the pair as Bollywood's hottest on-screen couple.

The film also marks a re-teaming of Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan, who most recently collaborated three years ago on "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" (2006).

Over the years, Karan and Shah Rukh have enjoyed an unbelievable run at the box office, working together on such hit films as "Kal Ho Naa Ho" and "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", some of the most successful Indian films at the international box office.

Indo-Asian News Service