For audiences who have seen nothing or very little of Bollywood film-making, here is a strong opportunity, a film seen in many cinemas but then released by Netflix.
The important thing about Bollywood films is that Indians surrender to their style, colourful, often melodramatic, heightened emotions, and song and dance introduced on many occasions. If a non-Indian audience is to appreciate a Bollywood film, then they have to be willing to surrender to it, not bringing personal/national presuppositions, cultural sensibilities, because the Indian/Bollywood sensibility is very different.
India has a long tradition of visual art, statuary, religious significance, bright visual styles. And that is very evident in their films. The films require more than a very willing suspension of disbelief.
And, the film is a very long – and there is a great tradition in India of the enjoyment of Intermission.
This film opens in a traditional border village, simple life, work, statuary and religious leaders, and a military invasion which is brutal, merciless in killing women and children. However, a strange character appears, the audience having seen his body floating in the river and his rescue, who takes off his bandages, and does extraordinary battle, an Indian superhero. It looks as if we are into an excursion into Indian history or into Indian fantasy-land storytelling – which was popularised worldwide in such films as RRR.
But the film moves forward 30 years (only) to 2022 and a long modern action segment, a kind of Mumbai The Taking of Pelham 123, the introduction to significant women, their all boarding a train and its being held up by a mysterious character, supported by the women, holding the passengers as hostages. This moves very fast, full of action, tension, the killing of a woman hostage, the tying up of the police officer on board, the scenes at railway control, especially the police leader.
It soon emerges that this is a social protest against the huge number of suicides of Indian farmers unable to repay loans – with dramatic flashback story sequences to illustrate this. (There is some relief when we see that this is a kind of Indian Robin Hood activity is not fully life-threatening.)
We have seen the leader of the situation, played by long-time Indian popular star, Shah Rukh Khan, whom we see as warden of a prison, women’s prison – and realise that they are a team leading the social protests. And, the next episode, highly dramatic and melodramatic again, is a demonstration against corruption and politics, hospitals without equipment, trapped by bureaucratic requirements, deaths of children.
We are also introduced to a financial tycoon, Kalee, ruthless villain with an array of tough henchman – and his visit to Russia looking for a loans and becoming indebted to the Russian Mafia.
Almost enough so far for two movies. But, the mood changes, a little girl liking the warden and trying to set him up to marry her mother. No spoiler here but it makes the rest of the film emotionally very complex!
And not to forget that there have been already several very elaborate song and dance episodes, cast of hundreds, at least.
Surprisingly, then the narrative goes back to the 1980s, full background of what it happened in the past, the mysterious stranger, the connection with the prison warden, and with the arch-villain. It all builds up to an even more spectacular climax, in the James Bond vein.
At almost 3 hours, the action doesn’t really lag, Bollywood style sweeps up its audience, taking it in so many different directions, colourful entertainment – but, in this case, with very serious critique of political and social corruption.
Reviewed by Fr. Peter Malone, MSC
More info re the film JAWAN
India, 2023, 168 minutes, Colour.
Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Depika Padukone.
Directed by Attlee.
Worth Pondering... 