Plot
An emotional journey of a guy who is determined to correct the wrongs in society, motivated by a personal grudge and keeping a promise made years ago, to atone for his past. He confronts a terrifying monster who knows no fear and has imposed enormous agony on multiple people in this high-octane action thriller.
A high-minded, seasoned lady officer who may let her emotions get the better of her as she becomes entangled in this conflict will come into contact with him along the way. He will need all the weaponry and intelligence he can muster to overcome the obstacles and return their world to harmony as his history catches up with him.
Review
“Jawan” careens from one twist to the next making it almost irrelevant how well-worn and ultimately uninteresting its plot and set pieces are.
A few story turns are also rather simple to predict. Suji (Seeza Saroj Mehta), Narmada’s impressionable ten-year-old daughter, is wooed by Azad as well. He conducts several bloody, media-driven protests to expose the corruption of various government leaders. Azad represents the masses but acts wildly, doing a tiny soft-shuffle dance in front of horrified passengers. He argues arduously and proudly that he is a nice guy fighting the real enemy, which is government employees who do not work for the republic.
The story of Narmada and Azad is connected to the opening sequence of the film, which takes place 30 years earlier in an unnamed village that may or may not be in Tibet (somewhere near “India’s border,” harassed by Asian soldiers in white star-studded green caps). This subplot is intricate and endearingly silly.
It’s a significant plot turn that unsurprisingly dominates the second half of the story and changes the focus of Azad’s narrative to make it clear to the audience.
If you pay attention during the opening credits, a prominent Bollywood celebrity also makes a surprise appearance, but their appearance won’t give anything away. And keep an eye out for a duet dance performance featuring Deepika Padukone and Khan, who have excellent chemistry perhaps because they are aware that they no longer need to compete for the attention of the audience.
Oh, and a few of the battle scenes, despite being over-edited and under-directed, are maximalist show-stoppers. Loud and repetitive, yes, but never dull.
Rating: 4/5
Most crucially, Khan appears more at ease than in previous films, sauntering casually through his arsenal of tics and gestures in “Jawan.” The movie deserves 4.5 stars out of 5.
He particularly exudes ease in undemanding musical moments, and he consistently pulls off the Blue Steel look whenever he puts on a slow-mo heel to sulk at viewers or fellow actors. Shah Rukh Khan is still a superstar, and the film “Jawan” makes good use of him.
