“Ready?”
Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback tour continues with his second film of the year, the epic action thriller Jawan (“Soldier”), where he’s seen in a number of never-before-seen avatars, each serving its own unique purpose that is revealed throughout the course of the Atlee-directed blockbuster, setting the stage for one of King Khan’s most entertaining releases this decade.
**This review may contain minor spoilers from Jawan**
Following the underwhelming critical performance of Aanand L. Rai’s Zero in 2018, which had capped off a less-than-stellar period in SRK’s illustrious career, Khan decided to take a much-deserved break from acting to reassess his film choices and seemingly his entire approach to filmmaking at large. However, due to the pandemic, that hiatus was extended a few extra years, a time period in which Khan also mostly disappeared from the public eye, opting to make select appearances over four years as he spent more time with his family and worked on his next batch of films in relative silence.
The first of these three new films was the much buzzed-about Pathaan, hailing from India’s most storied banner Yash Raj Films, which broke all kinda of box office records this past January and set new career highs for Khan in the thirty-first year of his career. In one fell swoop, the Siddharth Anand-directed spy actioner solidified Khan’s transition from trademark romantic hero to the ultimate action star, a moment Khan had been patiently waiting for since his earliest days with the studio making Darr and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, but more importantly, his first film in nearly five years delivered one clear, definitive message: The King is back!
“Main kaun hoon?”
On the heels of Pathaan’s monumental success, SRK postponed his next release, Jawan, into the fall to allow additional time to complete VFX work and to likely put a little bit of space between the two big-budget action films. Marketing then consisted of a mix of intriguing teasers and chart-busting songs that featured Khan sporting a variety of different looks, building an unprecedented level of buzz heading into September, where the film very fittingly opened the day after the Hindu festival of Krishna Janmashtami.
Jawan is the present-day story of orphan Azad Rathore (SRK), a warden of a women’s prison who sets out to right the wrongs of society with his own means of justice. To achieve these lofty goals, he enlists six women for very personal, socio-political missions that they hope will send a message to the powers that be and bring meaningful change to the Indian subcontinent. However, that’s obviously easier said than done and they face a heavy dose of opposition from Force One and its leader Narmada Rai (Nayanthara), a handful of corrupt politicians, and a very evil arms dealer named Kalee (Vijay Sethupathi) who has a devastating connection to Azad’s past.
It’s this dynamic between Azad and Kalee that informs much of the movie, as you can’t really know Azad without knowing the tragic tale of his parents, Vikram (SRK) and Aishwarya (Deepika Padukone). We meet them in a lengthy post-interval flashback sequence set in 1986 that allows the film to slow its breakneck pace just a tad and offers a much-needed backstory that reveals what fate befell his parents and why he ultimately chose to become a champion of justice for all.
While he was raised believing that his father, an ex-commando, was killed prior to his birth, he receives the surprise of a lifetime when the Rathore patriarch makes an explosive return to save his son and new daughter-in-law from a horde of gangsters, in a show-stopping sequence, no less. Mufasa and Simba then unite to fulfill the younger Rathore’s mission to deliver a message that the world needs to hear, while also taking down Kalee once and for all.
"Naam toh suna hoga."
Considering everything that goes into making a SRK film, writer/director Atlee Kumar, best known for his work in Tamil cinema, had his work cut out for him, but he managed to exceed nearly every expectation and give us one of the most entertaining titles in SRK’s filmography. As over the top as it can be, the story is far more accessible and relatable than the trailers would have you believe, and, includes a message that only someone of SRK’s stature could convey. The action sequences, each more stylized than the last, specifically the pre-finale highway chase and much of the hand-to-hand combat are all top-tier and it’s always a blast watching SRK kick ass and take names, especially now as Vikram Rathore.
Atlee keeps Jawan operating at a frenetic pace and manages to pack in quite a lot in its 169-minute runtime, although the film’s romantic subplot between Azad and Narmada does suffer as a result of this since he opts to accelerate their courtship in favor of the film’s meatier second half. While it could’ve probably benefitted from a little more room to breathe after key moments, Atlee does understand that, at the end of the day, this is a SRK film through and through and that the vast majority of the audience are watching simply for that reason and that reason alone, and, on that front, he proved to be more than up for the job. He directs SRK with confidence and lets the King do what he does best: rule.
“Bete ko haath lagane se pehle baap se baat kar.”
Shah Rukh Khan is unsurprisingly in top form in dual roles, as Vikram and Azad, and continues to usher in a new era of his reign that simultaneously feels familiar, but also incredibly and unbelievably exciting. As Azad, we’re treated to the classic clean-shaven SRK we’ve become accustomed to, the ultimate hero of Indian cinema. As he fights and dances his way back into our hearts, it’s the version of SRK that fans have been clamoring to see for the better part of a decade. However, while young SRK is good, old SRK is great. It’s extremely rare that you’ll see an actor steal a movie from themselves, but SRK manages to do just that with his portrayal of the fiery Vikram Rathore, one of the most undeniably fun characters he’s played in quite some time. From his first frame, it’s clear that SRK is having an absolute blast playing the older, amnesiac Vikram Rathore and he’ll have you grinning from ear to ear as he pulls off one heroic feat after another, while also bringing a little levity to the back-half of the picture.
Nayanthara is exceptional as the film’s leading lady. Despite the film’s main romantic subplot being rushed, she still shines brightly opposite Khan and has real Lady Superstar energy that results in an easy-to-root-for chemistry opposite the King. On the other end, Vijay Sethupathi makes for a truly evil villain with no redeeming qualities. His Kalee gets more and more unlikeable as the film progresses and Sethupathi seems to relish in being able to inflict maximum pain on our heroes. Deepika Padukone makes an extended appearance and is exceedingly effective in her role, and the film also makes good use of her always-electric chemistry with Shah Rukh.
The supporting cast, consisting of the many ladies aiding SRK’s Azad in his mission, features breakout performances across the board from Priyamani, Sanya Malhotra, Riddhi Dogra, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Girija Oak, Lehar Khan, and Aaliyah Qureishi. While each member of Team Azad gets time in the spotlight, the characters played by Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, and Lehar Khan have a little more backstory and ultimately the actresses deliver some of Jawan’s most powerful and gut-wrenching moments.
"Jab main villain banta hoon na, toh mere samne koi bhi hero tik nahin sakta."
The score and music composed by maestro Anirudh Ravichander is more than fitting for a SRK blockbuster of this caliber and chart-toppers “Zinda Banda;” “Chaleya;” “Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya;” and “Faraatta” will be playing in your head long after the credits roll. Each song also serves a narrative purpose and each receives an expertly directed music video from Atlee.
Reflecting on its box office run, to date, Jawan has grossed over $140 million worldwide, on an estimated $38 million production budget, and has broken a number of major records. The film, which is still playing in theaters in some markets due to its immense popularity, is currently the highest-grossing Indian film of the year, the second-highest-grossing Hindi-language film of all time, and the fifth-highest-grossing Indian film of all time.
Shah Rukh Khan roars like never before in Jawan, the blockbuster movie event of the year, thanks, in no small part, to confident direction from Atlee, a phenomenal supporting cast, and some of the finest action sequences ever depicted in an Indian film. With a strong social message and one twist after another, this is one film that really needs to be seen to be believed. With Pathaan and Jawan, Khan has reminded the world that he’s still the #1 star in the world and now it’s time for December’s main course. Bring on Dunki!