‘Jawaan,’ an action thriller movie in Hindi created by the legendary Atlee and by the legendary Gauri Khan for Red Chillies Entertainment in the year 2023, was a spectacular treat for fans of Bollywood cinema.
“Jawaan” boasted an A-list cast, including Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Deepika Padukone, and Sanya Malhotra, and billed itself as a “masala entertainer” that would combine action, love, and humor.
The film Jawan, in which Atlee stars with Bollywood’s top star, Shah Rukh Khan, is one of the most highly anticipated of the year. The film’s previews and advertisements have built anticipation for what promises to be a groundbreaking achievement in Bollywood. While it may have had commercial success, I will never watch another Indian blockbuster again because of this. What truly gets under my skin is that the same critics who panned Thugs of Hindostaan as well as Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Jaan are now calling this one of the best films of 2023. Jawan is getting undeserved accolades due to SRK’s sheer celebrity, but there is no distinction between any of these mass-market films.
Here you’ll find HOC’s judgment on Atlee’s Jawan without any spoilers. Shah Rukh Khan appears in l Jawan in his most muscular cinematic role to date, surpassing even his performance in Pathaan. So, only people who are fans of SRK or the kind of stereotypical South Indian masala film they make will love this. You can feel like you want to rip your flesh off if it is the worst possible experience. Jawan combines all the tropes you expect from a South Indian action movie with the sad, angsty adolescent culture of 1970s Bollywood.It combines absurd action sequences and up-the-top acting, dialogue, and BGM with plot points lifted directly from the legends of Robin Hood as well as films like Ramana (2002).
The film’s choreography, sound design, and narrative are all so over the top that it’s impossible to take it literally. There are multiple points in the film where non-fans of mainstream cinema will want to give up and leave because they can’t take the torture any longer. It is disheartening to witness contemporary fans and reviewers enjoying such a terrible picture while simultaneously anticipating the development of Indian cinema. How can we anticipate the industry catching up to worldwide standards of filmmaking if we continue to support films with only slow conceptions and overblown action scenes with pitiful editing?
Disappointingly, popular movies like Gadar 2 and Jawan have trumped critically acclaimed indies like Ghoomer and OMG 2. Pathaan and Jawan have been instrumental in restoring the theater industry, but that is no reason to start admiring them as films simply because they star the King of Bollywood. Speaking of SRK, he gave his typical lackluster and inconsistent performance. But give credit where credit is due: Vikram Rathore was absolutely spot-on in terms of appearance and demeanor. However, he looked far too senior to play a young, clean-shaven man in his role as Azaad Rathore. The other acts were all below par, but Vijay Sethupathi stood out as particularly unsatisfactory for his stereotypical portrayal of the villain. There were a few cameos, including one by Deepika Padukone, that some viewers could find entertaining.
Padukone performed a great job in her small roles, yet she really shone in Pathaan. For the sake of clarity, let’s discuss the specifics. The action was, as was anticipated, exaggerated to ridiculous levels, yet there were a few moments where actual martial arts skill was on display. The film’s score as well as sound effects, which were both cranked up to eleven in an effort to mask its many flaws, were so intense that they made you believe you had been watching a masterpiece. The cinematography was generally strong, but the editing process was choppy and difficult to follow, making the film unwatchable. Finally, the entire credit for our high rating of Jawan goes to each division of make-up and manufacturing design.
Conclusion:
Jawan is the most massive of mass pictures designed for just one theater screening with the type of crowd that seeks out thoughtless amusement. Do not let the laudatory reviews convince you otherwise if you are a film buff who demands something more substantive, artistic, rational, or worthwhile. Enjoy Jawan only if you’re prepared to turn off your brain and soak up the film for its many exaggerated scenes and lines of conversation.