2023-09-13 22:14:22
Indian cinema is the new sure value of big spectacle cinema. Jawan demonstrates real know-how at all levels. An ambitious project carried by the unchanging features of the iconic actor Sharukh Khan.
A hostage crisis in a Mumbai metro. It is led by a group of six women and their leader, the enigmatic Azad (Sharukh Khan). The group demands a ransom from a powerful arms dealer (Vijay Sethupathi) and is quickly chased by officer Narmada (Nayanthara). With this introduction, we are drawn into a series of action scenes, twists and turns and deliciously kitsch songs.
The first observation that jumps out from the first scene is that Indian blockbuster cinema has taken over from the American blockbuster. Far from rejecting it, Jawan multiplies the references of his influences, and they are numerous! Matrix, Mission Impossible, The Lion King, Batman and even The Shining are mixed with references to Indian cinema like Sholay. This might seem indigestible on paper and yet, over more than two hours and forty hours, it is all magnificently orchestrated.
This entire building is built for and run by Shahrukh Khan, the star actor who, although he has known down periods, has always managed to maintain his iconic status. In the footsteps of Tom Cruise, he refuses to age, or only if it allows him to play an old biker with no ties and a long cigar, even more iconic. This is how the film makes the age of its actor (57 years) a central theme intended to emphasize to us that at any age, in his highs as in his lows, Shahrukh Khan will always remain the icon that cinema Indian knew how to build.
Thus, the actor multiplies the roles and pauses throughout scenes made constantly epic by an always moving production and above all, an oxymoronic editing which does not hesitate to punctuate his scenes with rapid slow motion. But the actor still looks his age and this is noticeable from the close combat scenes where he is with his face uncovered. Suddenly, the plans become shorter and the readability of the actions takes a hit. Fortunately, these moments remain rare, better executed and enjoyable than what American cinema has accustomed us to seeing.
This is the big difference that lies in the approach to icons. The American blockbuster got tired of epic epics and when the audience started laughing regarding it, they chose to laugh with it. It thus becomes a kind of self-parody which often seeks to ridicule itself in the hope of being better accepted. As a result, today, he is struggling to regain his ability to move the public through his adventures.
Jawan is one of the Indian films that is the opposite of this approach. He takes himself very seriously and avoids laughing at himself. When he does, it’s on inconsequential subjects, like Shahrukh Khan’s hair dye or Vijay Sethupathi’s “Santa Claus” style. Thus, his show is never defused, allowing it to always be grandiose. He trades verisimilitude for enjoyment and when the spectator laughs at his excesses, it is always with the gratitude of being offered what he cannot see elsewhere.
Is Jawan a sign that Indian cinema is preparing to supplant American cinema? Let us remember, however, that Jawan is one of the rare films which manages to benefit from international distribution while the country produces almost 2000 each year, placing itself ahead of the United States. India is made up of a myriad of productions, offering films in different languages, aimed at local audiences, with very different themes. Wanting to bring together all these productions with different themes, methods and dialects under the sole name of “Indian cinema” is a biased Western vision.
That said, the Indian film industry suffers from the very low average cost of a cinema ticket, but also from the lack of cinemas. Although the country has more than 9,000 and is in third position globally, behind the United States and China, this does not even correspond to 1 screen per 100,000 inhabitants. Therefore, there is an interesting solution for the development of this industry: export. An export through streaming platforms (in fact the broadcast rights for Jawan have just been bought by Netflix) but also an export to Western theaters.
Jawan is all the more interesting to see from this angle. The film puts the iconic Shahrukh Khan, known beyond its borders, at the center of its promotion. He multiplies American references, explicitly citing them, or drawing inspiration from his equally iconic figures like Rambo. It makes the hijacking of democracy a central theme, echoing Western issues, and in particular the United States.
Jawan obviously addresses the Indian public above all and offers a head-on discourse on the problems of his country. He highlights the high suicide rate of his farmers, the problems of corruption, and the lack of equipment in hospitals. But at the same time, he does not fail to convey a universal message, and to make major appeals through his numerous references to the Western public.
Jawan is thus a film which manages to be exported without betraying itself. It retains its moments of dance, its references to Indian history and above all, its ability to present a show capable of selling its icons without sinking into irony. He digests his American references magnificently well without ever losing his identity. Indian cinema has lessons to give us on this balance and its undeniable quality.
Jawan
IND – 2023
Action, Suspense
Duration: 2h45 min
Director: Atlee Kumar
Avec: Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Deepika Padukone, Sanjay Dutt, Riddhi Dogra
ABC Distribution
08.09.2023 at the cinema
1694660890
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