SRK calls ‘Jawan’ story of common man doing uncommon things

Actors Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay Sethupathi did a Q&A session, where the Badshah of Bollywood went on to describe 'Jawan' as the story of a common man, doing uncommon things

New Delhi: Actors Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay Sethupathi did a Q&A session, where the Badshah of Bollywood went on to describe ‘Jawan’ as the story of a common man, doing uncommon things.

SRK called this session, a place to answer questions that have both been asked, as well as yet to be asked ahead of the release of Jawan. The reason for doing seven questions only was given by SRK at the start of the Q&A video on YouTube, where he said Saat sawaal kyon? Kyonki hafte mein saat din hote hain, rainbow mein saat colours aur Jawan mein mere saat look. And of course, Jawan release hogi, September 7, 2023 ko (Why seven questions? Because a week has seven days, a rainbow has seven colours and in Jawan I have seven faces. And of course, the release of date of Jawan is also September 7, 2023).” Answering the question, he proceeds to harbour his Jawan character on screen and says in the same voice, Ready.

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Responding to the first question, regarding whether he and director Atlee wanted to work together for a longtime, SRK jokingly quipped: Everybody wants to work with me for a long long time. I am joking, I’m just being pompous, again I am joking. The actor then seriously said: I met Atlee on the set of Bigil, I was in Chennai to support Chennai Super Kings. I met him there and he was showing me his film just out of love, and his wife Priya liked me a lot. So, one thing led to another, then Covid happened, and I was just sitting at home and he came to see me in Mumbai, and he said I have a film.” I found it very interesting because the first thing he told me was, it was you sir, with five girls. And that’s my film, because both me and Priya think that you look the nicest, when you have a bunch of ladies with you in the film, he added.

So I asked him, Lots of action? He said Yeah. Lots of high-speed shots, he said Yeah, I asked lots of dancing, good dialogues and he’s like Yeah. I’ll send five girls, and that was it, that’s how Jawan started. Vijay Sethupathi, answering when he first met SRK and Atlee said: We had already met in Melbourne, Australia and I told Atlee I would like to be a part of your film.

Then I also asked I’d like to be the bad guy in your film, and Atlee said We were also thinking about your past one year, so we already had you in mind. Because of that, we are surprised you contacted us.

Then I met him again in Mumbai, he narrated to me the script, I really liked it and I was onboard. The Tamil star went on to give a very interesting take on his role, saying Whenever I play the villain, it is not me who is the bad guy, but the hero. My character is on his own path, and the hero who comes to disturb me, for my character he is the villain.

SRK was asked about whether his character is a hero, villain or vil-hero (a kind of anti-hero who is still more villain than hero). To this the actor jokingly said Pehle to aap logon ne bahut confuse kar diya hai, trailer ko preview bolte ho, hero ko villain, aur ab ye naya vil-hero? Kya mein achcha hoon, buraa hoon, punya hoon, paap hoon, yeh khudse poochna, kyonki mein aap hoon (You people firstly have already confused me a lot, you call a trailer a preview, a hero a villain and now this new vil-hero? Am I good, am I bad, a blessing or a curse, ask this of yourself because I am you).” SRK said: This is the story of a common man doing uncommon things, for the common good of everybody.

Describing his experience of working with SRK, Vijay said: Mostly my on-screen experience with SRK has been good. Whenever I sit with him, I like it because I like the way he gives interviews and his spontaneity. So I like him better on a personal level, like how his thought process, his brain is working.

I keep asking questions, to know more about him, as to who he is as a person. One of the funnier questions which even amused SRK was, whether he was an action hero or just a guy with great insurance policy. To this he said My life insurance policy is now over, because I have received so many injuries that no one really insures me anymore, honest to God. SRK said: To give you all the real reason why I do it, one day my eldest son and my daughter told me that you have to do films which are the coolest, for the youngest.

And then I thought, that the only thing he finds really cool are all these animes, animations, action films. So first I decided to be a superhero but then I realised I don’t look good in spandex.

So funny enough, without spandex instead I got into bandages, and that is why this action. So honestly, I do action films because my kids get very impressed that I am doing cool things, have six pack abs, stuff like that. There is no other reason I should do action films. Vijay, describing his preparation for the role of such an intense antagonist said: I am good at choosing scripts, and I know how to do it. The rest I leave to others because I don’t want to bring anything else in my head, because I think that’ll spoil the artiste and the mind which I don’t want to do. So I just stay away from all that, and whatever work I get, I stick with it, and that is enough for me. Answering a question regarding what exactly was the moment, which made SRK sign up to do Jawan, he said: I think the moment was when I went to see the rushes, at Atlee’s office in Mumbai, and there is this shot where I am introduced as this bald hero (proceeds to smack his hands like in the trailer).

I remember Atlee putting a lot of powder in my hand, and I was smiling and was like What is all this powder for? And in one take I even remember I sneezed on it and then smacked my hands, and I think that’s the moment I did Jawan. SRK then added, There is a lot more stuff that I experienced, so please go watch Jawan with your friends, family, girlfriends, boyfriends in theatres on September 7, 2023.

‘Jawan’ is a Red Chillies Entertainment presentation directed by Atlee, produced by Gauri Khan, and co-produced by Gaurav Verma. The film will be released worldwide in theatres on September 7, 2023, in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.