Tag: Shah Rukh Khan

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Karan Johar: An unabashed Maverick

Karan Johar now and then

This is a look-back into how Karan Johar has evolved over the years both as a producer and director encouraging new talent whether it is directors or actors. The way he is going strong with an unfazed attitude is praise worthy in spite of being trolled for different things, more so for launching star kids.

Producer, director, TV Host and occasional actor Karan Johar is one of the most polarising Bollywood personalities. On one hand he gets lots of love for backing films like Kill and Homebound, which has gone to Cannes receiving a standing ovation, on the other hand he faces trolling for producing films with star kids like Alia, Janhvi Kapoor and the recent launch pad Nadaaniyan with Ibrahim Ali Khan.  There is an unabashed nature to Karan which comes out strongly in all his interviews. A good example of this is the latest interview with Baradwaj Rangan.

 He had a convincing answer to every criticism. He said he goes by his inner conviction while selecting young actors and actresses irrespective of their family background. Sounds true, because in the movie Kill both the lead actors come from non filmy families, Lakshya Kapoor and Raghav Juyal. A big strength of Karan is his strong persona. Karan also has this great ability to take pot-shots at himself and his movies either directed by him or produced by him. Karan’s inherent jovial nature and the way he interacts with even younger actors and actresses, putting them at ease without the baggage of a producer is refreshing too.

Lakshya Kapoor and Raghav Juyal in Kill

Director:

Karan Johar has come a long way as a director in selection of stories, he started his directorial debut with the frothy Kuch Kuch Hota Hai but as a filmmaker his most defining moment came with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna a major departure from the usual romantic dramas. Though not without flaws Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna showed Karan Johar’s ability in taking on more layered and risky storylines. The director successfully dwelt into the complexities of modern marriages and emotional dissatisfaction. The movie showcased how messy relationships can turn out to be with everyone getting hurt.

In more ways than one Karan completely turned the concept of the clichéd ‘happily ever after’ on its head. The movie had its share of brickbats as well due to the bold presentation. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna featured SRK in one of his most unlikeable roles as a very bitter and arrogant Dev while Abhishek Bachchan gave one of his better performances. There is a child like nature and sweetness to the role. As viewers you sympathize with Abhishek more than SRK.

The starcast of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Another movie showcasing Karan Johar’s evolution as a director is My Name Is Khan. The movie explored the burning issue of Islamophobia set in the period  after 9/11 attacks. It’s a very risky topic given the political undertones but Karan did a very fine job. Apart from Islamophobia Karan also dealt with a syndrome called Aspergus with the required sensitivity. In spite of having an overblown pre climax involving a massive flood Karan delivered an important message about the need for tolerance and rising above religious hatred.  

A still from My Name Is Khan

Mention must also be made of 2023’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Karan managed to bring in something new within the familiar terrain; he subverted some of his own themes regarding patriarchal authority. A major highlight of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani is the recreation of ‘Dole Re Dola’. Ranveer’s Rocky dancing with his prospective father in law challenged the traditional notions of masculinity like nothing else; he broke down the gender stereotypes with this one. gesture. Through the character of Rocky Karan presented a refreshingly different protagonist, a man who is willing to change for his girlfriend.  

Ranveer Singh’s Rocky doing Kathak with his prospective father in law

Apart from feature films Karan has also been part of anthology movies like Bombay Talkies, Lust Stories 1 and Ghost stories. By Karan’s own admission he was very sceptical on how he would fare among the more intellectuals Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Zoya Akhtar.  Though he stuck to his favorite homosexuality theme starring Saqib Saleem and Randeep Hooda he effectively brought out the need to embrace one’s real self. It ended up being the most talked about segment.  

Producer

As a producer too Karan has experimented with different genres. For example there is Tarun Mansukhani’s Dostana a movie about two guys pretending to be gays in order to find a house. Dostana may come across as just a frivolous fun film with humour that often borders on being outlandish, but it is not that. It is an important film as it is one of the first mainstream movies on homosexuality in an attempt to normalize it. There is an important scene in the second half where Kirron Kher is seen accepting her son’s sexual identity and relationship. Of course Abhishek Bachchan’s character is not an actual gay, still it is an important moment in the larger context of social acceptance.  

Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham as pretending gays

Kapoor &Sons directed by Shakun Batra and produced by Karan is another millstone. The film was a family drama with several hidden skeletons, something which most families try to cover up with a pretense of everything is all right. Through this tale of a dysfunctional family Shakun Batra also advocated on a same sex relationship being normal

Kapoor &Sons

Raazi directed by Meghana Gulzar and produced by Karan is a nuanced war drama bringing alive a little known chapter of history. Raazi’s significance lies in how Meghna Gulzar explored the human cost of war through a wonderful Alia Bhatt. The presentation of the Pakistani characters specifically Vicky Kaushal’s Iqbal was refreshing too.

Raazi movie banner

With Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt’s Kill Karan entered into a very different territory, a movie combining raw and brutal action with societal undertones. The movie brilliance lies in how it humanized the gang of armed robbers through the themes of class divide elevating a standard one man army plot. Much like Homebound Kill also went to a film festival last year to Toronto, it received rave reviews as well as awards. Kill marked the emergence of two promising talents.

With Gauri Shinde’s Dear Zindagi Karan brought the much needed topic of mental health to the mainstream. The need to recognise mental health issues and go for professional help was well emphasised. This is necessary, particularly in today’s society where people are judged constantly. Dear Zindagi also explored the challenges, both professional and personal of a young woman cinematographer aspiring to be a director.

Alia and SRK in Dear Zindagi

Lastly Neeraj Ghawyan’s segment called Geeli Puchhi in the Karan Johar produced Ajeeb Daastaans anthology also deserves a mention for its exploration of caste, sexuality and womanhood in an impactful manner. It was the most liked segment in the anthology making a political statement.

Geeli Puchhi

Of course Dharma Productions has its share of huge misfires too, Puri Jagannadh’s Liger being the best example. The film was a cross pollination of various genres making little sense. Even Ayaan Mukherjee’s Bramhastra: Part 1 didn’t have a  long run. There is no denying that Bramhastra: Part 1 was an ambitious attempt at merging western aesthetics with Indian mythology, however the plot suffered majorly on account of tonal issues like the jarring trope of quick love. In spite of these hiccups he continues to be strong backing new talent and content. Many directors who have worked in Dharma productions have talked about the freedom Karan gives.

Actor:

As an actor Karan made his debut with a small role in one of the longest running Indian movies Dilwale Dulhania le Jayenge. He played a small role, as a friend of SRK. After many years he played a full fledged part in Anurag Kashyap’s ill fated Bombay Velvet. The movie was a disaster on many levels but Karan did make an impact, specifically in the scene where his character Khambata breaks into an uncontrollable laugh.

Host:

Karan Johar’s chat show Koffee with Karan doesn’t need a particular introduction. Starting from the year 2004 the chat show has had 8 seasons so far. The show has stirred up numerous controversies due to his adult line of questioning and the intimate nature with which Karan hosts the show. The conversations on more than one occasion may come across as crass; however it presents a different side to the celebrities making it interesting.

Presenter: Of late he has started presenting and promoting movies also, like Bahubali and Lunchbox. Let us see what else he has up his sleeve. One thing is for sure -whatever he does, he makes sure the spotlight is on him and his work.  

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Bollywood actors through the lens of South Indian directors

A rundown into some of the Telugu and Tamil directors who have successfully presented Bollywood actors in a different light and gave major hits       

As the wave of pan India has caught in a huge way, the crossover between Hindi film actors and South Indian directors, particularly those belonging to Telugu and Tamil cinema (also known as Tollywood and Kollywood) has resulted in some successful collaborations. One of the earlier examples is Aamir Khan’s Ghajini (2008). Director AR Murugadoss made a significant impact with this Tamil remake.

Ghajini

Ghajini opened the 100-crore club in Bollywood; it was a major money spinner in those times. For Aamir Khan Ghajini was altogether a different film from what he was doing till then, it presented him in a massy avatar. In spite of the obvious comparisons to Suriya’s stellar acting, Aamir also left his own imprint particularly the physical part of it. He looked like a wounded tiger out on an avenging spree.

In spite of the obvious comparisons to Suriya’s stellar acting Aamir also left his own imprint particularly the physical part of it.

Kabir Singh

Before Kabir Singh, again a remake of a south (Telugu) movie Arjun Singh, Shahid Kapoor did not have a major solo hit. The likes of Jab We Met, Udta Punjab and Haider were hit movies no doubt but not commercial blockbusters. Though Padmaavat did more than 300 crores Ranveer Singh walked away with all the accolades and rightly so. But Sandeep Reddy Vanga gave Shahid a big spectrum to play with in Kabir Singh and the actor didn’t disappoint. Whether it is portraying the highly toxic and passionate love of Kabir or in the breakdown scenes Shahid did his best. Although the movie was pretty much a carbon copy of the original Shahid brought his own intensity to the role. Much like Ghajini this remake also did far bigger numbers than the original. It is a separate matter that Shahid could not capitalize on this blockbuster success later in his career.  

Kabir Singh gave Shahid Kapoor a big spectrum to play with and the actor didn’t disappoint

Jawan

It is a well-known fact that Shah Rukh Khan was going through a very rough patch both professionally and personally before the release of Siddarth Anand’s Pathaan and Atlee’s Jawan. For Atlee Jawan was a huge leap given that he had mostly collaborated with Vijay Thalapathy till then. For someone like him directing a megastar like Shah Rukh Khan is not a piece of cake.

But Atlee more than rose up to the challenge, he passed with flying colours. Atlee’s presentation of SRK particularly the father character of Vikram Rathore erupted huge cheers among the moviegoers. Shah Rukh also effortlessly slipped into the universe of Atlee having a lot of fun in a movie that has essentially 50 shades of SRK.

For SRK too it was a very profitable film both in terms of expanding his fan base and box office numbers. It was almost like a king size comeback with more than 700 crores.

Shah Rukh Khan also effortlessly slipped into the universe of Atlee

Animal

Animal directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga is easily the most polarizing movie of Ranbir’s career, more than even Sanju. Ranbir’s previous movies have also featured strained father and son relationships, but Animal took it to a whole new level. Animal showcased Ranbir in his darkest avatar till date, as Ranbir himself confessed that he was scared when he heard the script and had severe doubts about doing the role. However, to Ranbir’s credit he went full throttle and delivered a power packed performance though the story itself was highly controversial.   

Ranbir Kapoor’s darkest avatar till date

Kalki

Lastly there is this year’s Kalki directed by Nag Ashwin, a Telugu language epic science fiction film. The last few outings of Amitabh Bachchan have varied from just average to good. While he had solid roles in Jhund and Uunchai, in Bramhastra and Ganapath he didn’t have much to do. He was particularly wasted in Bramhastra as just a mere guru. But his fans and neutral audiences got the opportunity to see vintage Amitabh Bachchan with Kalki 2989 AD.

Bachchan had the best written role by a long margin and the senior actor just chewed the scenery with a stellar performance. The way he takes on the character of Prabhas was a sheer delight to watch. On many occasions he overshadowed the other cast members with just his towering screen presence. With his performance of Ashwatthama Bachchan showed that he can give any young actor a run for their money even at the age of 81.

For someone like Nag Ashwin too handling a film of this scale and directing someone like Amitabh Bachchan is a major achievement.

The fans and neutral audiences got the opportunity to see vintage Amitabh Bachchan in Kalki 2989 AD

Not so lucky ones

At the same time, it has to be said that working with south directors or in remakes of south films hasn’t proved to be so lucky for other Bollywood actors. Case in point is Akshay Kumar’s Sarfira, a remake of the Tamil hit Soorarai Pottru directed by Sudha Kongara. She also helmed the remake. Soorarai Pottru got both rave reviews and major awards. Suriya got the best actor award in the prestigious national awards; the movie also won an award for best film. Later Soorarai Pottru was also dubbed into Hindi with the name of Uddan. Hence it makes no business sense to remake it and not surprisingly Sarfira got added to the long list of commercial failures of Akshay post pandemic. Before Sarfira there was Bachchan Pandey, a remake of Jigarthanda. That was also a major commercial failure. Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan’s Vikram Vedha also turned out to be a box office turkey. Though Hrithik Roshan got good reviews for bringing his own touch to the role of Vedha, but it wasn’t enough for the movie to sail through.

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Dunki: This Rajkumar Hirani Directorial Is A Heartwarming Tale That Tackles An Important Social Issue

The ace director is once again successful on taking the audiences through an emotional rollercoaster particularly in the second half

Dunki (Hindi)
Rating 3.5 out of 5
Starcast: Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Anil Grover, Vikram Kochhar, Boman Irani and others extended special appearance (Vicky Kaushal)
Director and writer: Rajkumar Hirani
Additional writers: Kanika Dhillon and Abhijat Joshi
Producers: Gauri Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Jyoti Deshpande
Production Companies: Jio Studios, Red Chillies entertainment and Rajkumar Hirani films
Genre: Comedy/drama
Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Rajkumar Hirani is one of those filmmakers who has struck a chord right from his first one Munnabhai MBBS. The director has successfully developed the knack of bringing social issues to the fore in a way that is accessible to the mainstream audiences. The one exception though is Sanju as that was an autobiographical work.

With his latest Dunki Rajkumar Hirani has focused his lens on Donkey Flight (illegal immigration). The film opens with the characters of Manu (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu (Vikram Kochhar) and Balli (Anil Grover). They have been in London for the past 25 years but now they are homesick and want to return to India. But this is not possible for reasons that cannot be revealed here.

Taapsee Pannu and Shah Rukh Khan

The only person who can get them back to the country is Hardyal Singh Dhillon aka Hardy (Shah Rukh Khan). Manu, Buggu and Balli plan a meeting with Hardy in Dubai. The irony here is that once upon a time three of them were desperate to make a good living in London. The story shifts to a flashback where we are introduced to a group of people apart from those already mentioned. Their biggest dream is going to London in search of better prospects. Unfortunately all of them are poor in terms of both social status and education. In this scenario Hardy comes to that town situated in Punjab. Boman Irani plays Gulati. He runs an English speaking course. In this group of friends only one manages to pass the IELTS Exam. Manu and Balli manage to overcome their disappointment. Vicky Kaushal’s Sukhi though is not able to swallow the bitter pill. Sukhi’s reasons for going to London are different from Manu and Balii. He wants to save his ex girlfriend from an abusive marriage. Just before the interval there is the disturbing scene of Sukhi committing suicide by burning himself. Now Hardy takes it upon himself to make sure that Manu, Balii and others reach London even if it is through the illegal and dangerous means of Dunki.

Shah Rukh Khan with Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover

The first half of Dunki mostly has a breezy tone to it. There are many instances of Raj Kumar Hirani’s trademark humor in the portions featuring Boman Irani. The humor here hasn’t got the quality of the directors previous ones particularly the Munnabhai films and PK. The punch lines in fact come across as forced on certain occasions. However there are scenes which tickle your funny bone too.

There are also cute moments between Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee that bring a smile to the viewers face. Through this love Rajkumar Hirani focuses on the serious subject of illegal migrants. How they resort to dangerous routes in order to reach foreign countries. Many of them do not even make it and die in the process.

There are scenes in the second half where we see the characters going through several ordeals in harsh terrains. These moments are disturbing to watch.

Raj Kumar Hirani, the successful director 

Rajkumar Hirani is also successful in making some pertinent points about the struggles of Non English speaking Indians.

What doesn’t work for Dunki apart from the inconsistent humor are its foreign characters. They are mostly reduced to stock caricatures.

Talking about the performances Shah Rukh Khan blends well into the world of Raj Kumar Hirani. He particularly shines in the second half when things get serious. Taapsee Manu is also solid as Manu. She shares a good chemistry with SRK. Her Punjabi dialect is also spot on bringing back memories of Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan.

Shah Rukh Khan plays the soldier

There are portions in the film where SRK and Taapsee are seen with grey hair reminding the viewers of Khan and Preity Zinta in Veer Zara. The prosthetic work is neat and as a result the audiences feel that they have convincingly aged.

Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover also lend good support. They don’t feel burdened by the presence of SRK at any point. Vicky Kaushal in an extended special appearance makes his presence amply felt.

Pritam’s music is not a chartbuster but goes well with the mood of the film. Lutt Putt Gaya has a catchy tone. O Maahi and Nikile The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se are soulful in nature.

Watch Dunki for the top notch performances and the social relevancy of the subject.

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An overview of how 2023 has been a game changer for some Bollywood heroes

From Shah Rukh Khan and Sunny Deol to Ranveer Singh, these Bollywood actors made a comeback of sorts in the current calendar year.

2023 has been a remarkable year for Bollywood in more ways than one. The success rate of films is much higher than last year.

Additionally, some of the major stars have made a smashing comeback after a series of duds — be it Shah Rukh Khan with Pathaan and Jawan, or Sunny Deol with Gadar 2.

Shah Rukh in Pathaan and Jawan

There was a period when Shah Rukh Khan was struggling to deliver solid box-office hits. Films like Jab Harry Met Sejal (2017), Fan (2016), and Zero (2018) are major examples of this.

Rahul Dholakia’s Raees (2017) was a box office success but it was nowhere close to what Aamir and Salman were delivering with 3 Idiots (2009), Dangal (2016), PK (2014), and Sultan (2016).

In between, Shah Rukh played an adorable shrink in Gauri Shinde’s Dear Zindagi (2016) which was a moderate success. But it was only a relief considering how the aforementioned films went.

Of course, he was appreciated for playing a supporting role in a female-centric movie headlined by Alia Bhatt.

After Zero, the actor took time to sign his next films as a leading man and the wait has certainly paid off.

Reinventing himself

At the age of 57, Shah Rukh Khan reinvented himself as an action star in both Pathaan (2023) and Jawan (2023). On the surface, both are masala flicks, but the presentation of Siddharth Anand and Atlee are as different as chalk and cheese.

In Pathaan, Shah Rukh was in equal parts charming and rugged. The actor didn’t disappoint one bit — whether it was in the high-octane action sequences or in the more intense bits like the confrontation scenes with John Abraham.

In Jawan, the Bollywood Badshah further pushed the envelope with his double role. And within that double role, there were a lot of variations.

For example, he is a vigilante who uses unconventional ways to speed up societal changes. He is also a military officer who has been accused of cheating the nation and suffers from partial memory loss.

Jawan can be described as a South Indian thali (meal) with a North Indian flavour. Shah Rukh got the pitch of the film perfectly and delivered a thunderous performance, particularly in the father’s role.

There is also Dunki coming up in December and it is expected to rake in good box office numbers, considering the directorial skills of Rajkumar Hirani along with Shah Rukh Khan’s star power.

Sunny Deol in Gadar 2

When the trailer of Gadar 2 was released, it was dismissed as outdated with not many giving it a chance. But the film’s collections surprised many trade analysts.

The nostalgia associated with Gadar (2001) definitely played a part in making it a box-office hit. But more than that, it is Sunny Deol as Tara Singh who sold the movie with his intense performance. Even at the age of 65, Sunny has a commanding presence that resonates well with the audience.

After a series of disasters like Bhaiaji Superhit (2018), Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se (2018), and Mohalla Assi (2018), the Bollywood actor is back with a bang with Gadar 2.

His performance particularly stands out in the emotional scenes that Tara Singh shares with his son Jeetay (Utkarsh Sharma). The action scenes are deliberately over the top but Sunny Deol sells them with his conviction.

Ranveer Singh in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani

Before the pandemic, Ranveer was having an absolute dream run with his varied characters. Whether it was the despicable Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat (2018), the masala cop in Rohit Shetty’s Simmba (2018), or the young Muslim boy who has a fascination for rap in Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy (2019).

In all these movies, the Bollywood actor got critical acclaim as well as box office success. But post-pandemic, things started going downhill for the actor.

It started with Kabir Khan’s 83 (2021). Ranveer won rave reviews for his portrayal of Kapil Dev and so did the film. And yet, it didn’t achieve its full potential. The sudden hurricane of Pushpa: The Rise (2021) definitely played a spoilsport for this Ranveer Singh-starrer.

His next release Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022) was directed by a new director Divyang Thakur. The flick didn’t do well at the box in spite of tackling a socially relevant subject.

Much was expected from Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus (2022) but neither the director nor the actor could recreate the success of Simmba (2018).

A flamboyant Punjabi

The situation was looking grim for Ranveer too. But this year has been good for the actor, thanks to Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani directed by Karan Johar.

Ranveer’s Rocky is a flamboyant Punjabi guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is someone who is neither politically nor culturally sophisticated.

His life undergoes a metamorphosis after falling in love with a fiercely opinionated Bengali journalist Rani Chatterjee (Alia Bhatt).

The role of Rocky gave Ranveer ample scope to display both his comic and dramatic skills.

On many occasions, Ranveer brought the house down with his broken English. A good example of this is when Rocky attempts poetry to flatter Rani who is very amused.

On the other hand, he was also equally effective while displaying the fragile side of Rocky. For example, there is a brilliant dramatic scene where he apologises to Rani’s onscreen dad (Tota Roy Chowdhury).

Rocky gives a heartfelt monologue about how he has been conditioned to think in a certain manner from childhood. He also talks about the Cancel Culture and how none of us will learn anything if we keep on cancelling each other.

Ranveer also surprised one and all with his Kathak performance on the famous number “Dhole Re Dhola.” His sizzling chemistry with Alia was an icing on the cake.

Ayushmann Khurrana in Dream Girl 2

Ayushmann Khurrana already proved his credentials as a good actor in different genres. Whether it is Sriram Raghavan’s thriller Andhadhun (2018) or Anubhav Sinha’s social drama Article 15 (2019), he gave a series of hits before the pandemic.

However, post-pandemic, Ayushmann’s brand of cinema stopped working; they were not just outright disasters, none of them took a good opening either.

As a result, the Bollywood actor took the route of a masala comedy with the film Dream Girl 2 (2023). Dream Girl 2 definitely had the sequel advantage.

Dream Girl (2019) remains Ayushmann’s highest-grosser to date. Dream Girl 2‘s critical response was mixed but Ayushmann’s performance, particularly as Pooja, did receive a good response.

Dream Girl 2 earned over ₹100 crore at the domestic box office.

John Abraham in Pathaan

In the last few years, John Abraham has been following the route of Akshay Kumar — either playing a patriotic hero or doing slapstick comedies.

The likes of Pagalpanti (2019) and Satyameva Jayate-2 (2021) were disasters both critically and commercially. But, with Pathaan, John more than made up for his previous lacklustre outings.

His role as Jim was not just about being a dashing villain, there is also an emotional back-story about why he does what he does. As viewers, you might not agree with his actions but you do understand his resentment with RAW (Research and analysis wing).

There are certain moments where John Abraham expresses the angst of his character and he did a good job.

Akshay Kumar in OMG 2

Unlike the above-mentioned actors Akshay Kumar is not the leading man of OMG 2 (2023), nor is it a major supporting role. In OMG 2, he had only an extended cameo as the messenger of Lord Shiva in Human form.

Though there was not much scope for performance, Akshay still brought the right amount of divinity to his part. It is easily his most relaxed performance in the recent past.

Akshay Kumar also pulled off a Shiv Tandav with ease. After the debacle of Samrat Prithviraj (2022) and Raksha Bandhan (2022), OMG 2 must have been a much-needed relief for him.

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Jawan: Atlee Serves A Complete Meal With SRK At His Massiest Best

Jawan is easily SRK’s most political film in the recent past with the actor taking on the establishment. He also delivers a passionate monologue about the importance of choosing wisely.

Starcast: Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Vijay Sethupathi and others

Direction, screenplay and story: Atlee

Additional screenplay: S Ramanagrivasan

Producers: Gaurav Verma and Gauri Khan

Production Company: Red Chillies Entertainment

Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Genre: Action thriller/drama

Director Atlee’s stories are never original; they are more about effective packaging. Jawan is no different. In simple terms if you mix Shankar’s brand of cinema with Chak De India the result would be Jawan.

Jawan is a father and son drama at its core; Azad and Vikram Rathod (Shah Rukh Khan in a double role). One of them is a masked vigilante who wants to speed up the societal changes in unconventional ways. Helping him in this mission are a bunch of women prisoners headed by Sanya Malhotra and Priyamani. Each of these prisoners have their own back stories that cover different issues plaguing our society. Kaali (Vijay Sethupati) is a dangerous arms dealer who has a history with the father SRK. Last but not the least is Narmada (Nayanthara) who is a determined NSG officer on the lookout for the vigilante. In a twist of events she also ends up marrying one of the SRKs (one of the absurdist thing in the story) for the sake of her daughter. She is a single mother. Revealing anything more wouldn’t be appropriate as the film goes through a non linear storyline with many twists and turns.

A big strength of Jawan is the packaging of the various social issues that Atlee takes up. Sure the treatment isn’t subtle and does require suspension of belief but the conviction of Atlee and SRK is such that as viewers we can’t help but cheer. As mentioned above Jawan is Shah Rukh’s most political film in the recent times. Many of societal problems find a place in Jawan. Whether it is farmers being driven to suicide because of loan sharks, the severely underdeveloped government facilities, the frauds taking place in election and the manufacture of bad quality military weapons among others. There is also a Meta moment where SRK directly addresses his fans and delivers a passionate monologue. All this has come out in a powerful manner. Sumit Arora’s dialogues hugely aid in this.

Father and son drama has always an emotional connect, irrespective of how many times we have seen it. There is a rousing interval bang when the son SRK has been tied up with no hopes of getting away. At that exact moment you have the arrival of the father. The dialogue there is “Bete ko Haath Lagane se pahle, baap se baat Kar (Deal with the father before you touch the son).” This comes at the moment when the father is assumed to be dead. This again is a perfectly placed Meta moment and looks like a warning from SRK to not mess with his son Aryan Khan in the future. The father character is a military officer who was accused of being a traitor. He was thrown from a helicopter by Kaali and suffers from a partial memory loss. As a result he doesn’t completely remember the past. The scenes where both the SRKs feature are an absolute treat.

Early on there is a sequence where the vigilante Shah Rukh takes a metro train as hostage. When Nayanthara asks him what are his demands over the wireless he gives a witty reply saying “I want Alia Bhatt but she is younger in age.” The reaction shot of the passenger sitting next to him adds to the humour. Many dialogues both political ones and humorous ones like this evoked a lot of hooting and cheering from the audiences.

Shah Rukh Khan has successfully ventured into the mass zone in the past too but Atlee’s presentation of the superstar is something else. Shah Rukh owns every frame that he is in. He embraces the masala tone of Atlee with absolute fervour. Nayanathara makes a solid Bollywood debut with her portrayal of Narmada both as a determined cop and also as a single mother. There is a terrific action sequence where Narmada takes on the masked SRK. It is a treat to watch.

The few romantic scenes between Nayanthara and SRK are pleasant to watch particularly in the song Chaleya. However the same cannot be said of the brief flashback portion consisting of Deepika. It has been written patchily. Sanjay Dutt also has an extended cameo. The women prisoners have reasonably fleshed out parts. The ones who stand out are Sanya Malhotra and Priyamani.

 Vijay Sethupati who locks horns with both the father and son does not have a lot to do in the beginning but he more than makes up for it in the second half. He gets some comic punches that leave you in splits.

Anirudh Ravichander’s music doesn’t quite match the scale of the film but Zinda Banda and Chaleya are foot tapping numbers. There is also Aararaari Raaro which has a good emotional touch. But his background score is excellent particularly in the scenes where the vigilante SRK takes over.

At a time when most systems are failing in delivering justice the success of Jawan would represent the angst of the common man and the justice (by whatever means) that he is hoping for in Bharateeyudu style.

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These Bollywood heroes and heroines made our jaws drop as onscreen baddies too!

Unlike many top actors who did negative roles later in their careers, Shah Rukh Khan started off his film career as an anti-hero.

It is hugely liberating for any actor who is relatively comfortable in one’s career doing roles that fall outside the conventional zone. It gives the artiste a certain abandon where he or she doesn’t have to pander to a certain image.

Following is a list of some Bollywood actors and actresses who have tried their hand at grey/negative roles and found varying degrees of success.

Let us start with “Bollywood Baadshah” Shah Rukh Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan

Unlike many top actors who did these kinds of roles later in their careers, Shah Rukh Khan started off his film career with a spat of anti-hero roles.

Both Baazigar (1993) and Darr (1993) made him a household name much before Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

The impact of Shah Rukh in Darr was so much that the audiences hardly remember Sunny Deol. Not surprisingly, the “Bollywood Baadshah” was the obvious choice for the remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don (1978).

In spite of comparisons with Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh made the character of Don his own with his stylish performance in the 2006 release. The actor effortlessly played the negative shades.

Aamir Khan

Among the other Khans, Aamir Khan played a character with grey shades to great success in Deepa Mehta’s directorial 1947: Earth (1999).

Here, he played an ice candy man named Dil Navaz who falls in love with Shanta (Nandita Das), a Hindu woman.

Shanta works as a nanny for a wealthy Parsi Family. However, she loves a Muslim man named Hassan (Rahul Khanna).

This is something that Aamir’s character cannot digest. Partition and the ensuing family tragedy change him completely.

As a person who gets swayed by the hate around him, Aamir delivered a brilliant performance. He did a wonderful job of bringing out the many nuances of his character.

Saif Ali Khan

Saif Ali Khan also made a huge impression with his negative roles in Omkara (2006), Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020), and Adipurush (2023).

With Omkara, the actor successfully broke his urban image under the skilful direction of Vishal Bhardwaj.

Even in Adipurush, the actor brought certain energy whenever he appeared on the screen.

Interestingly, Salman Khan is the only Khan who did not play a negative role yet.

John Abraham

Before Pathaan (2023), John did several roles mainly consisting of chest-thumping patriotism and slapstick comedies. Nevertheless, most of these films didn’t click.

But the actor made a strong comeback in Siddharth Anand’s globetrotting entertainer Pathaan.

In Pathaan John’s Jim was not the regular clichéd villain. He is someone who is always a step ahead of Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, which adds to the victory of the protagonist at the end.

The action scenes choreographed between Shah Rukh and John had a lot of grit.

Jim also had a solid back story explaining why he does what he does.

After a series of sub-par outings, John Abraham was finally in form. The best part of his performance was how he expressed his angst in the more dramatic bits.

Tabu

In Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), Tabu played a double role — one of a dutiful daughter-in-law Anjulika and the other of her twin sister Manjulika who wreaks havoc in Anjulika’s life.

As Manjulika, Tabu let her hair down with a delightfully devilish performance. It was clear that the actress was having a blast.

Apart from Kartik Aryan’s comic timing, Tabu’s double act was another major reason why the film worked.

In Andhadhun (2018), the actress played the wife of a yesteryear movie star. Her character had many layers. She was erratic, vulnerable and deceitful all at the same time. She was simply brilliant in portraying these shades.

Tabu also made a huge impact with Maqbool (2003) and Haider (2014). Both these were adaptations of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Macbeth” respectively.

Ranveer Singh

There is no denying that Ranveer Singh’s Alauddin Khilji was more of a caricature meant to glorify the Rajputs in Padmaavat (2018).  But at the same time, his Khilji was easily the biggest backbone of the film.

Ranveer gave an electrifying performance which easily overshadowed both Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. As viewers, we wanted to see more of him on the screen.

Ranveer’s scenes with Jim Sarbh as Malik Kafur were way more enjoyable than the poetic romance of Shahid and Deepika.

Priyanka Chopra

In Aitraaz (2004), Priyanka Chopra played an ambitious woman for whom fame and glamour are more important than anything else. In this quest, Priyanka’s Sonia marries a much older man (late Amrish Puri). Her desire for fame and success is fulfilled, but she doesn’t get sexual satisfaction from her husband.

In order to fulfil her desires, she tries to seduce her ex-boyfriend Raj Malhotra (Akshay Kumar). However, Raj rejects her advances as he is a happily married man. Sonia gets upset by his rejection and falsely accuses Raj of sexually harassing her.

Priyanka played this role very early on in her career. It was a bold move that could have easily backfired, but Priyanka made a huge impact. In fact, she shined more than Kareena Kapoor, who was playing the conventional heroine.

Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt‘s Hollywood debut is not exactly a smashing one, particularly for those who have seen her work in Hindi films. But the actress needs to be credited for taking up a grey character in her very first Hollywood venture — Heart of Stone (2023).

She tries to procure it for the villain without knowing his actual purpose. In the process, she is pitted against Gal Godot, the main protagonist.

In the initial portions, we see Alia’s harsh demeanour towards Gal. There is a visible arrogance in the way she speaks to her.

However, there comes a point when Keya goes through an existential crisis. All this was well portrayed by Alia. There is also a tough fight scene between them in mid-air.

Ajay Devgn

In Khakee (2004), Ajay Devgn played a formidable opponent who creates havoc for the police officers, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar among others.

The actor brought a lot of quirks to his character. The subtle humour that he brought with his dialogues won the hearts of audiences.

His confrontation scenes with Amitabh Bachchan were easily one of the best parts of Khakee. With Khakee, Ajay Devgn showed that he can do a variety of roles.

Amitabh Bachchan

Amjad Khan’s Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975) is easily one of the most iconic villains that Indian cinema has seen. It is not an easy task to recreate that villainy given how firmly the character has been etched in the minds of the Indian viewers.

But Amitabh managed to play the new-age Gabbar Singh in his trademark style in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007). If we keep the comparisons aside, the veteran actor was also quite menacing as a villain.

Apart from the above-mentioned actors and actresses, others too did roles that fell outside the convention of hero and heroine.

For example, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan played a character with a lot of vengeance on her mind in both the Ponniyin Selvan films (2022, 2023).

Akshay Khanna in Race 1 (2008) was superb in his role as a scheming younger brother.

In Race 3 (2018), Anil Kapoor played an illegal arms dealer named Shamsher Singh. Of late, he has been doing more negative/grey roles, and the actor seems to be enjoying them also.

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Pathaan: An Entertaining Globetrotter With A Lesson On What Makes One A Patriot

Worth the four-year wait!

Pathaan (Hindi)

  • Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Ashutosh Rana, Dimple Kapadia, Gautam Rode, Gavie Chahal, Shaji Choudhary, and Salman Khan (cameo)
  • Director: Siddharth Anand
  • Producer: Aditya Chopra
  • Music: Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara
  • Runtime: 2 hours 26 minutes

In the climax of Pathaan, Shah Rukh Khan talks about how a true soldier doesn’t ask what the country has done for him but reflects on what he can do for the country. This one dialogue perfectly sums up the essence of the film.

In fact, Pathaan can be called SRK’s answer to those who question his patriotism time and again.

In style, Pathaan is reminiscent of the Tiger film (Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger Zinda Hai) and also 2019’s War. All of them have been produced by Yash Raj Banner.

This is an extension of that universe where the focus is on giving a complete package which will make the audiences, particularly the masses, happy.

The story

The movie begins with India’s revocation of Article 370 (Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir).

This affects a Pakistani officer who feels that India is doing a huge mistake. This officer joins hands with an ex-RAW agent Jim (John Abraham) who was wronged by his own people.

Aiding Jim in this mission is the mysterious Rubai (Deepika Padukone). Rubai is not what she appears to be and it is only in the second half that her real identity is revealed.

The rest of the story is about how RAW agent Pathaan (Shah Rukh) locks horns with Jim across continents and who eventually wins.

Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana play important parts.

What worked out?

As earlier said, the focus here is on giving a complete package and director Siddharth Anand does succeed in keeping the audiences engaged, more so if you buy into the treatment.

For any hero versus villain story to work, the antagonist must come across as equally strong and this is where the director succeeds the most.

John Abraham’s Jim has a solid back story. Jim isn’t your regular clichéd villain.

He is always a step ahead of our hero and this adds more zing to the victory of the film at the end. The action scenes between SRK and John have both style and grit.

What also helps Pathaan is the fast-paced screenplay of Shridhar Raghavan, particularly in the first half.

The non-linear narrative hopping from one continent to another is filled with interesting twists and turns. A perfect example of that is Deepika’s Rubai.

At one point, we feel that she is with John and the next second with SRK. This helps in increasing the curiosity of the audience.

One of my favourite scenes in the first half is how SRK gets his name Pathaan. His scenes with the locals of Afghanistan are filled with a certain warmth.

Another major highlight of Pathaan is the train sequence involving Salman’s Tiger and SRK’s Pathaan.

The elaborate action sequence of both taking on the baddies is a delight to watch, more so if you are a fan of the stars.

The interaction between the two superstars has moments of nice humour. Not surprisingly this sequence got the biggest whistle in the theatres.

The music by Vishal and Shekhar is quite groovy, particularly the song “Besharam Rang”.

What didn’t work out?

One major issue with Pathaan is the abrupt love angle between SRK and Deepika. It practically jumps out of nowhere.

More focus has been given to creating a sensual chemistry between the two stars rather than an emotional gravitas.

Deepika looks great in her action sequences and makes for a perfect action heroine. But beyond the glamour, there isn’t much.

In fact, Dimple Kapadia in a smaller role lends more gravitas.

Another major issue is the simplistic and clichéd manner in which it deals with the topic of patriotism. And the Pakistani angle doesn’t add much to the story.

The real eye feasts

As Pathaan, Shah Rukh has a blast playing a full-fledged action hero.  It is a part which gives him ample opportunities to be both rugged and charming and SRK doesn’t falter.

However, it is John Abraham who springs a pleasant surprise. After a series of subpar outings, John is finally in form.

He not only looks menacing but also shines in portions where Jim expresses his angst about being betrayed.

Verdict

For hardcore SRK fans, Pathaan is well worth the four years wait. For neutrals, it is worth a watch if you can get past the simplistic treatment.

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Rocketry: Watch It For Madhavan’s Dedication And The Real Life Nambi Narayan

Multitasking as an actor, director and writer isn’t an easy thing to do. Apart from confidence you also need a certain command over these mediums. R Madhavan has not only played the lead role in Rocketry, he is also the director and also one of the writers involved. For those who are not aware the film is based on the real life space scientist Nambi Narayan. Nambi Narayan was accused of being a traitor who sold his country. He had to fight a long court case to disprove it: Narayan suffered both professionally and personally. This is a tough story to execute for any director let alone a newbie. The rawness in Madhavan’s direction is very much visible, but still Rocketry is a heartfelt film which deserves a watch on the big screen. Two things contribute majorly to this. One is the stupendous performance of Madhavan the actor. Secondly Madhavan the director is able to make you connect with the story of Nambi on a personal level. As audiences you celebrate his highs and lows.

The film begins with a stunning long shot that establishes the family of Nambi Narayan. We see the family having a laugh over lunch with no inkling about how their life is going to change forever. We see Nambi getting arrested on espionage charges; the wife played by Simran gets humiliated while attending a wedding. The daughter sits helpless in the middle of the road; dung is there on her face. The son and the son-in-law of Nambi Narayan aren’t spared either. After this we have a flash forward to the elderly Nambi. He is in a conversation with an actor (Shah Rukh Khan) playing himself. The Tamil and the Telugu version have Surya playing the role of the interviewer. Through numerous flashbacks we come to know about Narayan’s hardships. The real life Nambi Narayan also makes an appearance at the end.

 Madhavan’s direction is at its best when it focuses on Narayan being falsely accused and the subsequent trauma that follows. The emotional scenes between Madhavan and Simran are heartbreaking. A scene which deserves a particular mention is when Nambi is finally declared innocent by the court. This happens when they are in a wedding. The breakdown of Nambi and the subsequent events make you cheer for the character. Madhavan and Simran have acted as a couple in a couple of films. The last one being Mani Ratnam’s Amrutha. The comfort level between the two is very much visible. The length of Simran’s role is less but the actress is terrific in the few demanding scenes that she has got.

The custody scenes of Nambi have also been brilliantly executed by the director. He is successful in making you empathize with the plight of Nambi Narayan, at the same time you feel anger towards the police officials for the way they are treating him.

The first half has also got some fine directorial touches. For example there is an episode when a co-worker of Narayan loses his son. Narayan deliberately hides this from this co-worker till the end of the mission. We are not generally shown grey areas in Indian biopics but R Madhavan deserves credit for keeping this episode intact.

Some lighter bits in the first half also make you chuckle. The humor mostly comes from the scientists having fun at the expense of people in different countries they visit.

The first half of the film is mostly technical. Unlike Jagan Shakti’s Mission Mangal Madhavan doesn’t try to simplify the scientific terms. The strive for authenticity is definitely admirable. But at the same time some of the jargon could have been cut down.

Also Madhavan should have put a little more focus on who had wronged Nambi Narayan and the agenda behind his arrest. The answers for these questions aren’t completely answered. Some more focus on this would have further enhanced the writing. The foreign characters with the exception of a couple of English people don’t really register.

As an actor Madhavan just disappears into the role of Nambi Narayan. The nuances and the physical appearance have been brilliantly captured by the actor. In the climax there is a close up shot of the real life Nambi Narayan. The resemblance between the real and the reel Nambi Narayan is so uncanny. It just shows how Madhavan has imbibed the character that he is playing.

Shah Rukh Khan has a charming presence and the way he gets involved in the story of Nambi comes across nicely. Shah Rukh gets his own moment when he apologizes on behalf of the nation for how Nambi Narayan has been treated. The actor does a solid job in this scene.

In the technical department Sirsha Ray deserves a standout for how he has shown the film through his lens. The cinematography perfectly aids the narrative of the film.

Rocketry is a film that deserves to be seen for the sheer hard work of Madhavan and also the real life personality it is based on.