Jawan Review: Shah Rukh Khan's second Bollywood bonus for 2023 with some help from the South

Shah Rukh Khan! Naam toh suna hi hoga. The star is unarguably all grandeur himself and with Jawan, he sets new standards for Indian cinema. For the film, Shah Rukh Khan came together with Atlee, one of the most prolific filmmakers from South Indian cinema. And what they have birthed together is a festival. As a millennial, I have always seen him as the man of his word, the King of Romance who wins over Senorita and her baau ji. However, the star’s recent choice of scripts is like a freshly-watered plant. With poignant socio-political messages, the four-films-old Atlee has maintained the essence of his work, Massy.

Azad, a vigilante, trains six women prisoners, Janhvi, Eeram, Ishkara, Kalki, Helena, and Lakshmi, and unveils the true colour of ‘democracy and system’ to help people hurt by the wrongdoings of ‘literate’ politicians. Narmada Rai, played by Nayanthara, grinds herself to nab Vikram Rathode aka Azad, and fails. But, who are these six women Azad trains and why? The film traces the stories of these women dogged by political scandals. Kali, a corrupt arms dealer, played by Vijay Sethupathi, is impressive as the antagonist. With action scenes in slow-mo and gooey backstories, the first half of Jawan will awaken your filmi keeda.

The film progresses with Narmada finding out Azad’s truth. Deceived by her husband Azad, she prepares her team to nab him. However, she has second thoughts after finding out about Vikram Rathode and Aishwarya, which I will not reveal much about. And Atlee, if you are reading this, how about your next Hindi film starring Deepika Padukone and SRK? 

Saddened by his brother’s death, Kali swears to kill Azad and his gang. The story gets intriguing as the film moves towards the climax. From well-choreographed action scenes to perfect comic timings, the film has it all. And can one believe Shah Rukh Khan is 57? Because I cannot and don’t want to. 

Atlee, who gave blockbuster hits like Bigil, Theri, and Mersal, skillfully ventured into Bollywood with his bagful of elemental quirk. Also written by Atlee, the film captures the nub of each character, be they key or cameo. However, the multiple backstories might just unhinge one from the central plot. Speaking of the performances, Nayanthara is just so pleasing to one’s eyes. With immaculate artistry and an unignorable mole above her lips, the actor is as bold as brass in the film. SRK’s girl gang, Sanya Malhotra, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Leher Khan, Aaliyah Qureishi, Priyamani, and Girija Oak, add value to the film with their performances. Sunil Grover, Riddhi Dogra, and Eijaz Khan’s contributions to the film do not go unnoticed. What had me in awe was Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s effortless chemistry. Despite not being the core of Jawan, their onscreen presence together gave me zsa zsa zsu. As the bad guy, Vijay Sethupathi’s Hindi is ‘so sexy’ and one will only want him to ‘say it again.’

Anirudh Ravichander, who was recently gifted a swank Porsche for his stint in Rajinikanth’s Jailer, has yet again proved his mettle with songs like Chaleya and Zinda Banda. The makers also have a treat for the audience that I will not reveal here. Besides the released songs, the background score flows smoothly.

When one thought Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan would be the biggest hit of 2023, Jawan came as a celebration. As a cinema buff, I would retire for the day with a giant smile. Thank you, SRK. Thank you, Atlee. Thank you, Team Jawan.