Even as I write this, Jawan hysteria has taken over the world, an exaggeration by no means because Shah Rukh Khan's star power has consistently had as many fans overseas as it has had in India. The morning of September 7, and by that we really mean dawn, kicked off being coloured by lakhs of SRK fans taking to the streets, shouting slogans in support of the star, striking his trademark pose, donning the many looks that he sports in his latest film and then trooping in to convert movie theatres into sports stadiums. When I walked in for an early morning show on Thursday, I already knew that Jawan was no longer cinema, it had turned into a carnival. When I walked out a few hours later, I realised that Jawan was much more than either of the two.
Beyond all its masala madness, jaw-dropping action set pieces, massy songs, whistle-worthy cameos, razor-edged one-liners, unpredictable twists and turns, stardom and fandom, Jawan is Shah Rukh Khan's sometimes soft, sometimes sharp spike at a system which has, openly or slyly, used him as target practice for many, many years. And that extends to even before the agonising time he went through two years ago when his son Aryan spent 25 days in jail, only to be given a clean chit later. Shah Rukh didn't utter a word then, his silent rebellion coming in a year later when he took the box office by storm, playing a Pathaan whose heart beats for 'Bharat'. The man's rebellion continues in Jawan, but this time, it's far more direct and no longer silent.
Jawan's social commentary is cleverly garbed in massy, commercial sequences that pack in both action and emotion, but the intention is palpable. From not only condemning but also resetting a corrupt system that enables farmer suicides to sharply critiquing healthcare negligence in the country to addressing hierarchical corruption in weaponry manufacturing, Jawan uses a vigilante-vs-villain template to hit where it should hurt the most. Kaalee, played with a distinct accent and ample vengeance by Vijay Sethupathi who channels Vijay Mallya in style and swag, is, however, just a face for the more prominent players in the system that Jawan rails against. It is this system that SRK — who may play two roles in this film but is also essentially SRK himself, especially in the aforementioned scenes — holds accountable, looking his countrymen in the eye, and urging them to trust the power of their finger when they next choose those who run the country. It's not a long scene by any means, but it hits home pretty fast, especially when the actor puts in a plea to not vote on the basis of class, caste or — wait for it! — religion. That this statement is made only a few months before the country votes in the next general election is telling. It's the loudest Shah Rukh Khan has ever been. And not only when he says: "Bete ko haath lagaane se pehle baap se baat kar."
Loudness, of a different kind, of course, is also the trademark of the rest of Jawan. Director Atlee, known for his brand of masala cinema that packs in revenge, non-linear storytelling and protagonists who pack a punch in more than one avatar, pulls no punches. Relying heavily on the charm and charisma, star status and supreme energy of his leading man, Atlee piles on one eye-catching action set piece after another. That, of course, starts off with Shah Rukh's introduction sequence, a brilliantly choreographed and breathtakingly shot scene in which the man, mummified with a bandage beyond recognition, appears at the top of a hill, his shadow falling on a temple deity in an example of striking imagery where his silhouette resembles the many hands of the idol.
This is not the only scene in which cinematographer G.K. Vishnu makes the electrifying world of Jawan come alive. A hostage situation in a metro train follows next and so do many other sequences, where a galaxy of some of the best stunt choreographers in the world come together to create a few of the most exhilarating action scenes seen in recent times. That includes an astounding heist sequence on a highway which scarcely allows one time to breathe. It's jaw-dropping in more ways than one. Pathaan, both in terms of SRK's swag and statement, walked so that Jawan could well and truly run.
Shah Rukh plays Azad, a jailer in charge of a women's jail, who turns vigilante, much like Amitabh Bachchan's Shahenshah a few decades ago, to correct the ills in the system and society. His 'rakshaso ki sena' in this case is not a ragtag team of hockey players but a group of six women prisoners with individual backstories. The group's 'extra-curricular activities' spring top cop Narmada (Nayanthara) into action who is determined to net them, as is Kaalee who prides upon being "the fourth-largest weapons dealer in the world". There is a bit of romance thrown in, though some of Anirudh Ravinchander's songs — apart from the delightful Chaleya where SRK looks sprightly and suspiciously de-aged — are speed-breakers in the fast-paced narrative.
Jawan has a comic book-like quality, which seamlessly fits in with the various disguises that Azad resorts to when pulling off his (mis) adventures. Quite a bit of the film's verve and vibe seems straight out of the Naruto manga universe and the Mission: Impossible references (manufactured masks to mission acceptance) are unmissable. A cheeky Simba-Mufasa reference from The Lion King allegorised to the father-son equation in Jawan, drew huge cheers from the audience.
And after what is perhaps the best interval block seen in a Hindi film in some time, there is the appearance of Shah Rukh Khan in a double role (no spoiler, this), which kicks off the film's superior Half Two, where the 'baap' beats the 'beta' any day when it comes to coolth and cowboy vibe.
Despite a runtime of 169 minutes, Jawan doesn't feel heavy, though some of the emotional bits come off as heavy-handed. The melodrama is cranked up, but that suits the texture and tone Jawan aims for.
Nayanthara's stunning screen presence, however, deserved a larger role. Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Girija Oak Godbole, Lehar Khan and Aliyah Qureishi pull off their roles with elan, even if their parts are not clearly defined. Deepika Padukone is luminous in a cameo and a surprise appearance brings on the kind of 'jadoo ki jhappi' from the audience that it deserves, with the promise of the character reappearing in a meatier role in what is definitely a sure shot sequel.
In the end, between being father and son, it's left to Shah Rukh to do all the heavy lifting, and the man, who brings back the anti-establishment hero in more ways than one, leaves the audience — diehard fan or not — with no reason to complain, even as he makes his stance clear and presence felt, both on screen and more so, off it. Silent rebellion, did we say? Well, the box-office fireworks are only getting louder.
