Shah Rukh Khan starrer "My Name is Khan" has grossed an estimated $18 million at the worldwide box office in its first weekend.

A love story set against the backdrop of racial discrimination post 9/11, "My Name Is Khan" has struck a chord with audiences around the world.

"The most exciting part is that the worldwide collections jumped every day from Friday to Saturday to Sunday. This shows that the audience is absolutely loving Rizwan and Mandira (the lead characters), " Vijay Singh, CEO Fox Star Studios, the Indian distributor of the film, said in a statement.

The film features Shah Rukh as Rizwan Khan who embarks on a journey across America to win back the love of his life, Mandira, played by Kajol. It shows how, along the way, his personality touches the lives of many and inspires a nation.

Filmmaker Karan Johar is ecstatic at the reaction.

"I am overwhelmed by the unprecedented audience response for our film. The audience has the power, and more power to them, " Karan Johar said in a press release.

The movie is being marketed and distributed by Fox Star in India, in the US by its sister company Fox Searchlight, and in the rest of the world by parent group company 20th Century Fox International.

In India, despite the issues in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Indore and other centres on Friday and part of Saturday, the film has opened exceptionally well. In states where the film opened normally, including Delhi-Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, the collections have been the highest ever.