‘Jawan’ is every Indian who is upright: Shah Rukh Khan

At an event in Mumbai, the superstar spoke on the success of his recent blockbuster, its making and its messaging, his love for the southern cinemas and working with Atlee, Deepika Padukone and Vijay Sethupathi

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan addressed the media and select fans in Mumbai on Friday evening following the box-office success of his recent release, Jawan. The action thriller film directed by Atlee has grossed close to Rs. 700 crores worldwide and has broken multiple records for Hindi cinema. The vigilante film stars Shah Rukh in the dual role of a father and son. He’s joined in the cast by Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi, along with Deepika Padukone in a special appearance.

SRK was accompanied at the success event by Padukone, director Atlee, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanya Malhotra, composer Anirudh Ravichander as well as the extended cast and crew of Jawan. Nayanthara, who could not be in Mumbai for the press conference owing to it coinciding with her mother’s birthday, addressed the audience through a video message.

SRK shook a leg on stage with Padukone and discussed their on-screen chemistry at length. He also thanked the writers, technicians and co-producers who worked hard to bring his vision of Jawan to life.

“Jawan has been in the making for four years because of covid and time constraints,” SRK, decked up in a dark suit and braids, said at the start of the event. “But there were so many people, especially people from the south, who came and shifted to Mumbai and have been living here for the last four years and working the hardest day and night for this film. Many didn’t go home, some had kids while stationed in Mumbai, including my director Atlee.”

SRK confessed his love for the southern cinemas which have heavily influenced the writing and design of Jawan.

He thanked Vijay Sethupathi, Atlee and other southern actors and technicians for collaborating on the film. “I have always been a fan of the cinema from the south, even when I don’t understand the language at times. Fortunately, you can now hear it in dubs and read the subtitles. But to come here, and to create this cinema for the whole of the country, for me it is one of the greatest satisfactions of having worked in the Indian film industry for 32 years.”

Deepika Padukone recalled she was shooting for Project K (Kalki 2898 AD, co-starring Prabhas) in Hyderabad when SRK and Atlee flew down to narrate her role in Jawan.