Machiavelli, a fan of the Greeks and Romans, was convinced that citizens needed to be constantly engaged in civic duty and vigilant between elections. There could be no lasting republic without this vigilance and involvement in civic affairs, and there could be no true democracy without such republican virtues. Both the Indians and the American founding fathers took this lesson to heart when they declared India a democratic republic. And in Jawan, Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), the largest movie star in the world, charismatically communicates this straightforward yet potent political message.
The movie, which made $60 million in its first four days alone, portrays Khan in his various personas as the supreme avenger of justice, humiliating ignorant ministers, exposing dishonest and ineffective governments, and crony capitalists. It also discusses agrarian distress, redistributing money to the most vulnerable, and obtaining justice for those who have been punished for speaking the truth. He accomplishes all of this with SRK’s renowned charisma and athleticism, turning into a popular hero in the movie and at theaters. He thrills them by outwitting the bad guys while educating people about the obvious injustices that they choose not to notice.
It’s true that the film’s cinematic style is a bit of a mash-up, with over-the-top action scenes, love songs, and various roles for the hero. But to ignore the connection to SRK’s own recent life would be to miss its true allure. King Khan is the only celebrity whose off-screen persona is as admired as the heroes he portrays, according to his sizable fan base. However, he is Muslim and resides in India, where the Modi-led government has made ‘Hindutva, or Hindu majoritarianism, its main ideology in blatant violation of the country’s constitution, which upholds religious pluralism.
A few years ago, Shah Rukh made some tepidly critical remarks regarding the increased vulnerability of religious minorities in India. As a result, right-wing trolls viciously attacked him, and his films were boycotted. To the dismay of those who want everyone in the spotlight to take a position, he hasn’t made a political comment since. But despite his caution, his son was imprisoned by a government organization two years ago, despite the absence of any proof of the drugs they said he was carrying. SRK is a devoted father who frequently talks about his kids. It was as though the government thought that punishing the most well-known Indian Muslim by striking him where it hurt the most would be a fitting way to show off their superiority.
Through the hardship, SRK and his wife kept a dignified silence, but there was a tremendous outpouring of support for them. Anecdotes of his countless acts of compassion and common decency shown over the years to technicians, young journalists, younger coworkers, and regular people inundated social media. When no one was looking, women still commented on his exquisite chivalry. Everyone complimented his brains and quick wit. Everyone concurred that his son’s arrest was driven by politics. Due to the complete absence of proof, his attorneys did succeed in getting the young man released, and the charges were withdrawn this year. Instead of making a statement and endangering another movie that provides thousands of people with a living, SRK responded by doing what he does best, and the outcome is Jawan.
Before the audience leaves and their ability to suspend disbelief is broken, SRK makes a solo appearance on screen and addresses the camera moments before the movie concludes. He reprimands us for being more interested in finding out if laundry powder works than the governments we choose. He holds each spectator in his gaze. He cautions and reminds the audience that since they live in democracies and have access to the vote, which is their ultimate superpower, they should realize that they, the average citizens, are the true superheroes. He advises them to make sensible decisions and to never stop inquiring after them. Like Machiavelli, he has a clear political message: democracy cannot be entrusted to politicians without constant watchfulness from “active citizens.” Although the movie is Indian, the message applies to everyone.
After getting his point across, he returns for one last thrilling stunt in this fast-paced, incredibly entertaining movie. The movie has received a completely insane response. Huge festivities and banners have been set up by SRK fan clubs in theaters all around India and overseas. The hero’s signature appearance is for the audience to arrive at the movie theater with their faces covered in bandages and masks. During screenings, dancers dressed in red shirts and ‘with him’ imitate Shah Rukh’s well-known dancing movements. People are revisiting it to view it more than once.
Why all the panic? Of course, SRK’s star power draws a lot of attention, but there’s also the fact that people want to hear from him that they, too, can overcome the powerful by being engaged citizens and giving careful consideration to the kind of nation they want to live in. Most importantly, he uses the language of emotion to convey the truth about democratic politics and civic virtue. Progressive politics also require an emotional pull, which right-wing politics are skilled at producing but which the center-left has lacked in India and other countries.
SRK demonstrates a new approach by sexily and charmingly posing difficult issues, just like he does, while at the same time boldly leveraging the love that millions have for him to make serious arguments, making his listeners feel good about themselves in the process. Even lessons in feminism, arrogance, and moral ambiguity are best taught with lots of eye candy, as Barbie and Oppenheimer demonstrated. Jawan raises the bar on that.
