THE next big Bollywood blockbuster release is action entertainer Jawan. Shah Rukh Khan headlines the unique looking film and will be hoping to carry on the momentum generated by his super hit thriller Pathaan earlier this year.
The September 7 release has been shrouded in secrecy since it went into production and even the promos don’t give too much away. With the cast not doing interviews ahead of the movie release, that mystery element will continue.
Eastern Eye decided to get you ready for the high-profile mega-movie release with 10 essential details.
Director: The film’s writer and director is Atlee. He has a strong track record in Tamil cinema since making his debut a decade ago. All four of his films as a writer/director have gained wide acclaim. He received multiple directorial debut awards for his first film Raja Rani (2013). His next three movies, Bigil (2019), Mersel (2017) and Theri (2016) were headlined by superstar actor Vijay. Atlee also produced the Netflix supernatural horror thriller film Andhaghaaram (2020).
Story: The action thriller has been shrouded in secrecy since it went into production. What is known about Jawan is that it’s an action movie with a revenge element, revolving around a man who is haunted by the past. There is also a vigilante angle in the movie, which will be divided into distinct halves covering dramatically different times. It also has a deep emotional core and reportedly draws inspiration from 1980s Tamil film Oru Kaidhiyin Diary. Shah Rukh Khan plays a double role of a father and son, with some dramatically different looks in the movie.
Leading ladies: Although Bollywood actress Sanya Malhotra plays a key supporting role, all eyes will be on leading lady Nayanthara (below, left). The multiaward-winning actress, massively famous for her roles in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema, will mark her Bollywood debut with Jawan. She has star quality but is most known for an incredible acting ability that has gained her many awards and nominations across the years. Priyamani also stars in the movie and has an impressive pan-Indian pedigree with memorable roles in top Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam movies. The heroines will be helping the lead protagonist right some wrongs.
Music: AR Rahman had reportedly been approached to compose the film’s music but declined for unknown reasons. Redhot singer and music maestro Anirudh Ravichander was then signed onto compose the songs instead. The 32-year-old has been unstoppable since his song Why This Kolaveri Di went viral in 2012. The multiple award winner having a magnificent track record of hit film songs and independent releases as a solo star was illustrated by him playing to a packed-out Wembley arena, London in December 2022. This will be his first high profile Bollywood soundtrack.
Antagonist: Baahubali villain Rana Daggubati was offered the antagonist role but refused it and Vijay Sethupathi (above) was cast instead. Sethupathi has a formidable body of work in Tamil cinema, including many movies where he has powerfully played the antagonist. Jawan is the first of a few high-profile Hindi films he has on the way, including Merry Christmas opposite Katrina Kaif later this year, so Bollywood fans will get a chance to see how brilliant an actor he is. This will likely be his most evil role yet.
Cameos: Like many previous releases starring the king Khan, this too will have big names making eye-catching cameos. Although Deepika Padukone and Sanjay Dutt have been confirmed to make impactful appearances, the one that has generated the most excitement is Tamil superstar Vijay. This will be the first time he has been seen in a movie with Khan, and producers will be hoping to unite their two huge fan bases.
Locations: Unlike many of Shah Rukh’s previous films, Jawan is very much rooted in India, with everything from costumes to the various locations. It has been shot at places that include in Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Rajasthan, and Aurangabad.
Languages: Like most high-profile movies released in recent years, the mega-budget Hindi entertainer will be dubbed in various languages to cater for different audiences. Other confirmed Indian languages it will be released in include Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
Box office: The massive success of Shah Rukh’s previous film Pathaan means Jawan is expected to get major advance bookings and clock up huge numbers at the box office. The addition of cast members Nayanthara, Priyamani and Vijay Sethupathi, along with a cameo from Vijay, and music from Anirudh Ravichander will give Jawan a strong pan-Indian flavour, which will make it a huge hit.
Jawan getting a huge global release and the success of Shah Rukh Khan’s last film Pathaan will add to the expected ticket numbers.
Big budget: It may look like a simple tale of revenge, but a lot of money has been spent on Jawan and this includes stateof-the-art special effects, which will give the movie an interesting extra layer. There will also be surprise elements in there and visually it is expected to be different from other Shah Rukh Khan films. So have your popcorn ready.
