Watched Jawaan. I don't have good writing skills which many do, but I just felt like penning my thoughts about the movie. Let me reiterate I am not a film critic and should be given grace marks for my honest outpourings.
The film is a Bollywood masala with a South Indian flavour, and for many it's a complete paisa wasool - in spite of the absurdities and far from real situations. Yet I loved the intent of the movie, which is so important in today's world. The movie had strong messages which were imparted as and when the story unfolded; though at times it was tough keeping track. The movie got me dreaming of a beautiful India, though everything looks so unattainable right now. Yet I gathered hope. After all "…woh zindagi bhi kya jisme koi mumkin sapna na ho." We all grew up on Bollywood masalas where father and son are separated during the son's birth, someone had a failed memory which only came back during the climax, son takes revenge on behalf of the father, policeman falling in love with a criminal only to be told that his intent was something else, smuggler dad having an innocent daughter who is held for ransom - so the absurdities of Jawaan were pretty acceptable only because of the right intent. The film questions the establishment and it draws inspiration from the Bhopal Gas tragedy (which we are on the verge of forgetting), farmer suicides (we are again oblivious to it), the Bofors deal, the crumbling medical infrastructure of our country (Covid showed us the reality), taking the environment for granted, and above all selling our own country to industrialists. The movie addresses all these issues and makes a mockery of us, the countrymen, for being blind and not raising a voice. It's true that we don't question before voting, we don't understand the power that lies in us.
The film's way of handling each and every issue was definitely crazy, absurd - but again, when did Hindi commercial films became real? It was never meant to be and I had no such expectations from this film either. What touched me is that in today's scenario someone had the guts to do a film like Jawaan and I am sure he wanted to reach out to the masses with these strong messages. And to do that he had the best ingredients to generate mass appeal. The opening scene reminded me of Sholay, the screws puncturing the car tires reminded me of Sonar Kella and so on so forth.
I am sure there were many glitches, the music was boring - but the movie stole my heart due to the strong message and none other than Shahrukh Khan could have pulled this off. There were scenes that got me teary eyed because I tend to be delusional when I read about farmer suicides, patients dying due to lack of medical support, soldiers dying at the border and coming back home in a coffin. As I said, the film raised my hopes of a beautiful country and wonder if we need a messiah like Azad to bring in this change, or do we have it in us to become an Azad or a Vikram Rathod. I don't know the answer to this yet, but I want to dream and hope since hope is all we have.
Shahrukh Khan, take a bow! I love you for everything. Director Atlee, you have my heart for this movie which touched a chord and kudos to all of you for having the guts to question our establishment. In this day and age, there aren't many people who have that.