Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
MoreBack to News Headlines
Decoding the political messaging of JawanPremium

Decoding the political messaging of JawanPremium

The Hindu
Thursday, September 14, 2023 5:30 PM GMT

Mulk (2018) & Jawan (2019): Two films that stand up for the rights of the oppressed, with Mulk pushing the schemes & ideology of the current dispensation & Jawan delivering a hard-headed message to ask those seeking votes "What will they do for you?". Both films feature strong female characters & a pan-Indian reach, with Shah Rukh Khan's Zinda Banda reminding us he is around. With a focus on discrimination, corruption & more, these films are a reminder of the need to heal broken hearts & ideas.

In 2018, when audience and critics were coming to terms with films pushing the schemes and ideology of the current dispensation, there came Mulk, the tale of a practising Muslim whose family was hounded and declared anti-national by his neighbours because one of his family members was found involved in a terror attack. The film stands up for Murad, the protagonist, and says that the country is as much his as any other Indian’s. At that time, director Anubhav Sinha told this journalist the film was a “propaganda of my version of nationalism.”

Another Lok Sabha election is around the corner and pro and anti-establishment voices are once again reverberating in the air. The latter has been feeble till Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan hit the screens last week. Beneath the shining coat of swashbuckling action, Jawan is as ordinary as Gadar 2 but riding on the immense following of Shah Rukh and Sunny Deol both manage to effectively package their political messages in a masala roll for an audience hungry for desi mass entertainers after a rash of manufactured realism on OTT platforms.

It is a myth that Shah Rukh Khan in his more than three-decade-long career has stayed away from the socio-political realities of the day and focused only on escapist cinema. Jawan is his most in-your-face attempt but in the past, he has headlined satires such as Oh! Darling Ye Hai India to Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and gave voice to deep-seated discontent in Swades, My Name Is Khan, Chak De! India and Raees. The last one shows a Muslim bootlegger’s rise in Gujarat where the sale of liquor is prohibited. In his films, the hero’s political stance and anguish against the system come from a deeply personal space. Subversion is not new for Shah Rukh. In the Rahul Dholakia film, young Raees is prescribed spectacles by the doctor but his mother can’t afford them. So, he steals the glasses of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the city centre. Raees goes on to become a good man who does bad things. Much like Azaad in Jawan, a policeman who hijacks a train and steals EVMs for the larger good.

Perhaps, because of the limited box office success of Raees and the changed political atmosphere, in the last few years, Shah Rukh’s silence is speaking more than his words on the state of affairs in the country. But this year, the actor has again spoken up through his work and how. In fact, there is a song called Zinda Banda in Jawan to perhaps remind us that he is around.

The tone in Jawan is matter-of-fact, in fact, hard-headed. Azaad, son of a soldier Vikram Rathore, lectures the audience to ask those seeking their votes, “What will they do for you?” Drawing from eminent Urdu poet Waseem Barelvi’s popular couplet, he sings, “Usulon Pe Jahan Aanch Aaye Takrana Zaroori, Banda Zinda Ho to Nazar Aana Zaroori Hai” (When principles are at stake, one must fight. This battle is what keeps you alive).

Keeping it simple, the film bases its argument on discrimination in lending rates to farmers and corporates, farmer suicides, a creaking healthcare system, and corruption in defence deals, issues that are very much relevant but largely missing from the landscape of mainstream news and cinema north of the Vindhyas. The case of Dr. Eerum (Sanya Malhotra) who is falsely implicated in a case of medical negligence reminds us of Dr. Kafeel Khan’s ordeal. More importantly, Rathore and son take on a corporate honcho, the villain of the piece, who is eager to monetise the country’s natural resources because he feels he can circumvent the democratic process. It rings a bell!

It is not just the cast. The span of the narrative is spread across the country, an exercise in national integration. Rathore is saved by a tribe from the North East and when he repays in kind, a child of the tribe promises to trace his backstory and eventually becomes the connecting link between Rathore and his son who is born in jail much like the mythical Krishna, and is brought up by the female inmates. When he breaks into Ramaiya Vastvaiyya, the hook phrase in Telugu is not just a tribute to the socialist idiom of lyricist Shailendra in Shree 420 but also a call to make haste to usher in change.

Read full story on The Hindu
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Goren bridge: Dropping the ball

Goren Bridge by Bob Jones

Jury convicts Harvey Weinstein of top charge in the retrial of his landmark #MeToo sex crimes case

Harvey Weinstein's retrial results in partial conviction, acquittal, and mistrial request amid jury tensions and #MeToo movement impact.

Artistic Folklore: A global Instagram hub that helps people connect, learn and create folk art

Discover Artistic Folklore, an online community that revives traditional arts and crafts across borders

The Carnatic progessive rock band AGAM talks about their new album, ‘Arrival of the Ethereal’

AGAM, the Carnatic progressive rock band, is ready with their third studio album, Arrival of the Ethereal, which has been mounted on an international scale

A Kuchipudi recital explores Krishna’s persona

D. Dileep and Rasika Rajagopalan ‘s Kuchipudi recital at Chennai’s R.R. Sabha was marked with precision and synchronisation

‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 confirmed With Kaitlyn Dever in lead role

HBO's The Last of Us Season 3 confirmed with Kaitlyn Dever as lead, promising a new direction and challenges.

California governor Gavin Newsom trolls Trump using Emperor Palpatine voice to read L.A. protests post

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office releases provocative videos mimicking Star Wars villain to criticize President Trump online.

‘Eddington’ trailer: Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal face off in Ari Aster’s COVID-era western

A political drama set in a fictional town during the COVID-19 pandemic, Eddington explores social tensions and political division.

Enrique Iglesias to perform in India after 13 years, concert to be held in Mumbai in October

Enrique Iglesias to perform in Mumbai on October 30, showcasing his iconic hits in a nostalgic concert experience.

Chinese actor Sunny Pang joins cast of ‘Lakadbaggha 2 - The Monkey Business’

Martial artist and actor Sunny Pang, who recently featured alongside Tom Hardy in action-thriller movie Havoc, is set to make his Indian film debut with Lakadbaggha 2 - The Monkey Business.

Dhanush says ‘Kuberaa’ took him back to his ‘humble, rooted beginnings’

The Tamil star is making his Telugu debut in director Sekhar Kammula’s sweeping social thriller, co-starring Nagarjuna and Rashmika Mandanna

Singer-songwriter Abdon Mech’s inspiring journey from Nagaland to Budapest

Nagaland’s Abdon Mech talks about being a part of Artisjus Songbook Camp 2025, Budapest

Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri renames new film ‘The Delhi Files’ to ‘The Bengal Files’

Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri announces new title "The Bengal Files" starring Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, and Pallavi Joshi.

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
Bipasha Basu calls out body-shaming trolls: They do not define me

Actor Bipasha Basu slams body-shaming trolls, highlighting the need for society to appreciate women’s diverse roles and appearances

‘Vyasana Sametham Bandhu Mithradhikal’ review: A well-executed satire on the chaos surrounding a funeral

‘Vyasana Sametham Bandhu Mithradhikal’ is a dark comedy exploring death and societal norms, with a hilarious take on funeral chaos.

‘Ballerina’ movie review: Ana de Armas is spectacular in a middling ‘John Wick’ spin-off

‘Ballerina’ movie review: An excellent Ana de Armas gets a well-written protagonist who packs a punch and refuses to be under the shadow of Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, but this spin-off film needed more ambition

Discretion is the best part of valour, Karnataka High Court reminds makers of Thug Life film

High Court of Karnataka orders RKFI to file objections against KSP and advocate applications in Thug Life petition.

Salil Chowdhury’s music was high on melody and reflected his socio-political ideologies too

2025 marks the centenary celebrations of composer-writer-poet Salil Chowdhury

Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson dies at 82: Tributes pour in from music icons

Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder and music legend, dies at 82, leaving behind a lasting impact on American pop culture.

Air India Ahmedabad-London plane crash: Film personalities Akshay Kumar, Vijay, Allu Arjun react to tragedy

Indian film fraternity mourns tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, expressing condolences and prayers for victims and families

Water tank bursts on the sets of Ram Charan’s production ‘The India House’, crew members suffer injury

A water tank burst during shoot of upcoming movie ‘The India House’ — starring Nikhil Siddhartha and produced by Ram Charan — causing injuries and damage on set

It’s official: Jr NTR, not Allu Arjun, to star in Trivikram’s film

Producer Naga Vamsi has confirmed that Jr NTR will star in Trivikram Srinivas’ upcoming movie, touted to be a mythological film

‘DNA’ trailer: Atharvaa, Nimisha Sajayan promise an intense crime thriller

The trailer of the upcoming Tamil thriller, DNA, starring Atharvaa and Nimisha Sajayan, was released by the makers on Wednesday

Apple unveils world’s first haptic movie trailer for Joseph Kosinski’s ‘F1’

Apple introduces groundbreaking haptic-enabled movie trailer for F1, offering tactile experience on iPhones via Apple TV app.

Aamir Khan on ‘Coolie’ cameo: ‘Huge fan of Rajinikanth sir, accepted role without hearing script’

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, while promoting his upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par, opened up on his cameo appearance in Coolie, superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming film with director Lokesh Kanagaraj

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us