4.0/5
“Bete ko haath lagane se pehle baap se baat kar,” says Shah Rukh Khan as Vikram Rathore in the film and the crowd erupts. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that Jawan is Shah Rukh Khan’s most massy film as yet, and his most political. It’s an action thriller which is loaded with social messages. The film makes a case for better healthcare services, waiver of farmer loans, providing arms and ammunition of a superior quality to our soldiers and also makes an appeal to the viewers not to vote on the lines of caste and religion but for candidates who’d ensure good governance. Prison reform and women empowerment also get their share of limelight. And all this is done without being preachy. The film provides wholesome entertainment – like any other SRK film, it has hummable numbers, romance, good looking leading ladies and emotions galore. And no expense is spared providing world-class action sequences, which look on par with any high grade Hollywood film. The opening metro heist sequence itself is worth the price of the ticket.
It’s difficult to summarise the film’s plot as it has too many subplots and undercurrents. What begins as a heist film, soon turns into a revenge fantasy, and then segues into family drama with a huge dollop of patriotism thrown in, not to mention all the social reform messages. Director Atlee, who has also written the film, makes sure that the various strands lead to each other and even manages to tie them up neatly towards the end. It’s almost a three hour long film but you won’t get bored any time. And the only bathroom break you’ll dare to take would be at the interval. Atlee knows how to marry emotion with action, he has amply demonstrated that in his Tamil films like Theri (2016), Mersal (2017) and Bigil (2019), and has continued with the winning formula here. So every action sequence has an emotional scene either preceding it or following it. And even the action has an emotional core to it. He leaves the viewers guessing throughout the film, introducing a new twist in the tale at regular intervals. He makes the audience invest in the film and also explains that what’s happening is there for a reason.
Among both SRK’s roles, it’s the father, Vikram Rathore, who packs more of a wallop. His entry is akin to Rajinikath’s entry in the film and he gets the best punch dialogue in his kitty. There is a mystique around his character and Atlee has made sure to highlight it and utilise it to the maximum effect. The character of Azaad, the son, is more layered than the father’s. It’s Azaad who brings out the emotional subtext in the film, whether it’s with Nayanthara and her daughter, or with other female characters in the film. Both are shown to be super soldiers but Azaad is shown to be more vulnerable. SRK has always excelled with child actors and his scenes with his screen daughter follow the same path.
Jawan is SRK’s vehicle throughout. And the actor gives his all to the film from the first frame to the last. Whether it’s action, romance or conveying the anguish of a father, he looks believable in every frame and makes a home in your heart. He manages to gain the audience’s sympathy and has them rooting for his victory. His charisma is unparalleled and his energy would fill 20-year-olds with envy. It's vintage Shah Rukh at play here and he has made sure his fans get their money’s worth.
Nayanthara has made a fabulous entry in Bollywood with the film. She makes acting look effortless and her chemistry with King Khan is spot on. She has done well in action scenes as well, as well as emotional scenes and has shown why she’s called Lady Superstar down South. Vijay Sethupathi as Kaali is the perfect antagonist. The actor underplays his character, and yet makes sure that you get to glimpse the evil, the malice that lurks within and take control of him at any given moment. His confrontation scenes with Vikram Rathore are the soul of the film. The rest of the ensemble cast, comprising Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Riddhi Dogra, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Girija Oak, Lehar Khan, Aaliyan Qureshi, Eijaz Khan, and Sunil Grover all have performed admirably.
Deepika Padukone makes her presence felt in her extended cameo. You’ll also like Sanjay Dutt’s short and sweet role towards the end.
All-in-all, watch Jawan for its entertainment value, for pure SRK magic, slick action scenes and its social messages. It’s total paisa vasool fare, alright!
Trailer : Jawan
Renuka Vyavahare, September 7, 2023, 4:39 PM IST
3.5/5
Synopsis: A masked vigilante (Shah Rukh Khan), sets out to accelerate some right societal changes, in his own ways. He along with his army of super heroic women, work towards enabling justice by taking on a dangerous arms dealer Kali (Vijay Sethupathi).
Review: No one seems to be having more fun than Shah Rukh Khan, in his action hero era. The romantic Raj and Rahuls have finally released SRK from their magnetic spell so he can wholeheartedly embrace the smouldering Pathaan and Jawan. In Atlee's ambitious action drama, SRK is a jailer moonlighting as a vigilante, but he is also Captain Vikram Rathod, a patriot. What is his story?
Expect ample twists and turns in this tale of desi Robin Hood and his tech-savvy, gun-wielding angels. Jawan is peppered with meta and pop culture references. You will be reminded of Money Heist, Squid Game, The Dark Knight Rises, old Hindi songs and The Lion King but topping it all, is a heady mix of SRK-Atlee tadka.
Only SRK can use the James Bond line and give it his own twist. “Rathod. Vikram Rathod. Naam toh suna hoga?” Lover boy king Khan’s tough avatar treads a new path. It isn’t devoid of his soft, sensitive charm despite the vengeance and violence galore. The Bollywood superstar seamlessly slips into South sensation Atlee’s universe, a rather new territory for him. Together, they entertain in this high-octane action thriller that’s rooted in emotions and familial drama.
An ode to fatherhood and female power, Jawan’s biggest victory is its ability to juggle the personal, political, and social statements. You get the hint when SRK tells his nemesis, “Bete ko haath lagane se pehle, baap se baat kar.” He calling out the politics of religion and voicing his unwavering faith in democracy is the film’s highlight and the part that is bound to get the most claps. Writers Sumit Arora, Atlee and Ramanagirivasan get the dialoguebaazi right even as the story rotates between several moods – humour, tragedy and revenge.
While Pathaan was high on style, Jawan raises the stakes with a story and purpose, too. The women get their moment in the sun and aren’t treated secondary to the hero, no matter how many SRKs join the party. Deepika Padukone looks beautiful and is solid in an extended cameo. Clash of words, ethics and wigs between SRK and Vijay Sethupathi is fun to watch. Exuding strange humour and rage, Sethupathi makes for a formidable villain. While the brief romantic track between Nayanthara and SRK doesn’t quite work, the girl squad comprising Nayanthara, Priyamani, Sanya Malhotra, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Girija Oak and Lehar Khan make their presence felt.
Promoted as an Anirudh (Ravichander) musical, the film’s background score and songs complement its style and nature. Zinda Banda and Chaleya are the best in the lot, but the latter has the most abrupt placement. While there is nothing that distracts you from the plot that has a dime a dozen twists and turns, at 2 hours 49 mins, the film needed a tighter edit. For action buffs, there is ample adrenaline rush throughout the story. Do not miss the opening sequence.
Jawan feeds off SRK’s stardom. It isn’t intimidated by him.Like a paisa vasool desi thaali, it has all kinds of flavour to satiate your taste buds. The reincarnation of 'action hero SRK' hits the sweet spot.
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