Jawan transcends the action film genre and delivers beyond expectations

SRK awes his audience with spectacular performances in a film that’s not black and white, but instead thrives in the greys!

A few minutes into Jawan, the electrically charged atmosphere in the hall announces a high distinction score. Seeing the audience enjoy every byte of the film through claps, whistles, and roars was an experience I hadn’t witnessed in ages.

Jawan is the story of an army officer who the corrupt system has wronged. The script fearlessly raises a finger at the malpractices of bureaucrats and politicians and their horrendous impact on the lives of underprivileged citizens. The film holds a mirror to the system through action and fights, impactful closing speech, planned revenge and a cry for reformation. It has laid bare bitter revelations where grave lapses were apparent, covering topics from low-quality guns supplied to the army that fail to shoot in the war zone, lack of amenities in government hospitals that lead to avoidable deaths, farmers’ loans that culminate into a humongous number of suicides, to unmonitored, burgeoning polluting factories that emit poison, crippling residents. The daring endeavor touched the sensitive nerve of the audience as the issues explored are connectable.

Jawan is Tamil director Atlee’s created universe where a socio-politically charged story takes birth and breathes. This topic is not new to South Indian films. Atlee serves old wine in a new bottle. The novel presentation and enthralling execution make it a spectacular watch.

Among the most crucial aspects of a movie is executing the protagonist’s arrival. SRK’s grand entry is applauded with whistles and claps, which continue even later in various instances. The film begins somewhere on the border of a northern state where a brutal killing occurs. Innocent villagers are shot, stabbed, and drowned. In this grisly situation, a shadow emerges against the dark skyline. Amidst this nerve-wracking savagery, a wounded soldier rises, face half wrapped in a soiled cloth bandage (often shown in the Jawan’s poster) with his eyes partly visible. With a lost memory but a robust subconscious instinct of a soldier, he ravages the barbaric killers.

The scene is well crafted. However, what has hardly permeated our cognitive system is how the story swiftly yet seamlessly jumps to another location, where a train is hijacked by Vijay Rathod (SRK), leading a team of combat-trained girls. An IPS officer, Narmada (Nayanthara), is deployed to diffuse the scene. Nayanthara, popularly addressed as the “Lady Superstar” of Indian cinema, looks confident and is a ravishing razor-smart cop.

The canvas of the first sequence alone is not grand. It’s merely a precursor to thunderously entertaining action. Through his first Hindi directorial venture, Atlee hits all the right marks, putting SRK’s highlighting traits to the best use, creating a massive cinematic ecosystem, and making each moment relishable. The film does dip at places while traversing unimaginable territories and action scenes but maintains the ‘feel good’ factor overall. Jawan has back-to-back frenetic action scenes, and every actor in the film is at the top of their game.

King Khan is back with a muse with fitness par excellence, intact screen charm, captivating articulation, revolutionary intentions, heart-winning dialogues, stimulating monologues, entertaining action, cheerful romance, and an expression of love fiery enough to light up the screen. In short, Shah Rukh Khan as Vijay Rathod and Azad, completely nails it. He has many avatars, each portrayed better than the other, yet maintaining the distinct identity intact. The most enjoyable part is the man with a cigar and a machismo swag. The infallible confidence he exudes shows King Khan in his natural element.

Vijay Sethupathi, as Kaali, who claims to be the 4th largest arms manufacturer in the world, could have done much more with his calibre and credentials, but he seems underutilized. His presence, however, has notched up the movie experience.

Deepika Padukone’s cameo role and her on-screen chemistry with SRK make it a worthwhile watch. It all amounts to getting so much more than what you’d expect in the price of a ticket.

Other actors, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Sunil Grover, and Sanjay Dutt, are gloriously supportive, and the movie nowhere loses its energy and pace.

The music by Anirudh has a unique beat and the grand song sequence using hundreds of background artists wearing the same clothes while SRK dons a red shirt, is cinematically rich. Everything is lavish and pragmatic, including celebrating a baby shower in a women’s jail and the productive use of inmate’s skills.

The film breezes from one pitched gunfight to another with barely more than superficial cuts and scratches on the fighters’ bodies. In the exchanges of shots, fist fights, road chases, and missile gun shots, the characters surpass all, coasting over its weaker elements to simply enjoy the stuff.

Jawan is in the hands of a visionary director and the reigning king of cinema. Both create a cinematic marvel with mesmerizing visuals to rejoice. Not to be missed.