Does King Khan and Atlee have a sequel in the making?
During the nearly three-hour run-time of Shah Rukh Khan‘s latest blockbuster, a lot of action and drama goes down without giving the audience ample time to settle even for a second. From exploring the lives of the father-son duo Vikram Rathore and Azad (both characters played by Shah Rukh Khan) to delivering a commentary on widespread corruption and social responsibility, Jawan keeps the audience at its toes up till the very end when it becomes clear that Vikram and Azad come together to form a force that’s too great to reckon.
Despite having an entire army at his disposal, Kalee Gaikwad (played by Vijay Sethupathi) fails to protect himself from imminent death as Vikram and Azad deliver the same punishment that Kalee once handpicked for Vikram’s wife and Azad’s mother, Aishwarya (Deepika Padukone). In what is another Karmic destiny for a Hindi film villain, Kalee’s lifeline runs out at the end of the same noose that sucked the life out of Aishwarya for merely an act of self-defense. At the end of Jawan, both the Shah Rukhs win in seeking vengeance that was long due.
Atlee’s Jawan is Brimming With Storylines
By the time the credits start rolling, the film’s director Atlee ensures that the majority of the storylines are wrapped up neatly. Although it’s apparent quite early in the film that one film wouldn’t be enough to cover the entire scope of events hinted at during this Shah Rukh Khan event film, Jawan does a decent job at answering the most pertinent questions about the film’s protagonist and its plot. When Shah Rukh Khan’s first words in the film turn out to be a question about his identity, it becomes apparent that there will be multiple mysteries to seek in this action masala film. Shah Rukh Khan’s villainess appearance in a badass bald look only further fuels the curiosity. As the layers are unfolded slowly, the true picture materializes and it is revealed that the vigilante at work is actually the jailer of a women’s prison.
Having come into contact with many women who have been victims of an unjust society that thrives on corruption and crime, jailer Azad resonates with the angst felt by them by virtue of his own painful childhood. After being separated from his mother who was punished by death for a crime she committed in self-defense, Azad grew up to be a man seeking retribution from a society that has only wronged him and his family. At the pinnacle of this society lies the vast weapons empire run by Kalee Gaikwad, who was directly responsible for the plight of Azad’s family.
Jawan’s Plot is Fueled by Thirst for Revenge
Azad’s father Vikram Rathore, a jawan in the Indian army, became the target of Kalee’s ruthlessness when he called out the guy for selling defected weapons to the Indian army – an act which resulted in the deaths of many army soldiers. Being challenged by the might of a brave officer, Kalee chose the path of deceit and attacked Vikram at his house when he was with his partner, Aishwarya. While Vikram was believed to be dead, Aishwarya was imprisoned for killing the police officers who were trying to malign Vikram’s image by planting false evidence. Accordingly, Aishwarya was destined for the death penalty.
On the other hand, Kalee believed that Vikram had died after he was thrown off an aircraft. Unbeknownst to Kalee, Vikram had survived after being rescued by the locals although he remembered nothing about his past. When Vikram saved the community from the terror of local militants, he became a messiah for them. A kid from the community took the oath that he would help Vikram find the truth behind his identity when he grew up.
Meanwhile, Aishwarya gets a temporary lease of life when she finds herself pregnant with Vikram’s child. Aishwarya and Vikram’s child, Azad, grows up in the vicinity of the women’s prison. On his 5th birthday, Aishwarya is hanged to death. Showered with love by the other inmates in the prison, Azad grows up to take the position of the prison’s Jailer. Having crossed paths with many women like his mother, who have been victims of a corrupt system, Azad built a team of five inmates to seek justice from the system that has for long evaded scrutiny. Naturally, the one at the top of the food chain, Kalee Gaikwad, who’s also responsible for his mother’s death, becomes Azad’s primary target.
Azad’s crusade for justice also makes him lock horns with Narmada Rai (Nayanthara), an efficient negotiator and law enforcement officer. In a quick turn of events, Narmada marries Azad for the sake of her daughter Suji who develops affection for Azad in the absence of a father figure. By the time Narmada realizes that Azad is the one being proclaimed as a Robinhood by the media and masses, it is too late already. Manish Gaikwad (Eijaz Khan), impatient with the antics of a vigilante trying to bring down his brother’s empire, finds out about Azad’s real identity and intentions. Naturally, his wife Narmada is assumed to be an accomplice in Azad’s actions.
Just when death seems imminent for Narmada and Azad, Vikram Rathore appears on the scene and rescues his son, whom he never met before. It turns out that the small kid, who promised Vikram he would help him find his identity, kept his word. On Azad’s actions becoming national news, the kid, who is now a police officer, dug into the past of Vikram Rathor (based on the name being used by Azad for his vigilantism) and discovered Vikram’s real identity. He then brought together Vikram’s old friends from the army and led him to his son, Azad.
Jawan Maintains its Social Commentary Throughout
Manish Gaikwad’s death at the hands of Vikram becomes the point at which the conflict between Azad and Kalee reaches its height. Joining hands together, Azad and Vikram, the son and the father, unite after long to bring down Kalee’s empire and might. Using the help of the six thousand inmates at the women’s prison, Azad tries to bring the country’s attention to the rot that has affected the country’s foundation. Sticking to his modus operandi, he puts up a hostage situation at the prison to attract the attention of the public. This leads to the arrival of Officer Madhavan Nair (Sanjay Dutt) who quickly finds out that the situation is beyond his control. Much like throughout the film, Jawan tries to maintain its critique of the larger plague affecting society while maintaining the tension between the protagonist and the antagonist.
After an emotionally packed appeal from Azad in the interest of a strengthened democracy, the focus shifts back to the enmity between Azad and Kalee (at this point, Vikram has no memory of the past and is just tagging along with his son). While Azad puts his plan to fruition at the prison, Kalee gets his hands on Vikram and his group of friends. Kalee ultimately finds his way to the prison and faces off with Azad. In what turns out to be an action-packed climax with a fair number of laughs, Kalee is delivered a death similar to one that Kalee once chose for Aishwarya. Despite begging for his life, Kalee is shown no mercy by Azad and Vikram whose lives Kalee had ruined among many others.
What Happens In Jawan’s Post-Credits Scene?
With Kalee’s death being cemented in stone, the tension diffuses to the point that, during the post-credits sequence, the scene shifts to a scenic location somewhere far away where Azad is seen with his friends and partners enjoying a nice vacation. But in a bid to deliver one more surprise, Jawan brings in Sanjay Dutt’s Madhavan Nair once more. It seems like Azad’s days in the open have run out, but just when things seem going wrong, another twist is thrown at the audience. It is revealed that Madhavan Nair and Azad were on the same team all this while. Madhavan, in fact, assisted Azad in putting into action his perfect plan, right from the beginning. He was only pretending to capture Azad when he turned up at the women’s prison to diffuse the situation.
At the end of Jawan, Madhavan arrives to meet his friend Azad with another mission in his hand – a mission that may take Azad to Switzerland as Madhavan suggests that the mission has something to do with the Swiss Bank. With another mission at hand, Azad turns to his father to motivate him to join. But as one should be during a vacation, Vikram chooses to groove one last time to “Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya” before heading out into another life-and-death situation.
Would There Be a Jawan Sequel?
While throwing an unexpected twist in the form of a long-standing association with Madhavan Nair (who makes a minor appearance near the end), Jawan‘s post-credits scene also hints at a continued story that may be explored if Shah Rukh Khan were to ever return in his double role avatar. During the course of the film, it is hinted that Kalee Gaikwad works for some powerful people. Can it happen that Madhavan’s next mission for Azad may have something to do with Kalee’s criminal ties? Or is it that Azad’s next target would be the loads of Indian black money lying in Swiss Bank accounts? Whatever the case may be, Jawan‘s ending strongly suggests that Atlee may have more to contribute to the Shah Rukh mania that has gripped the theatres since Jawan‘s release on 7th September.
Jawan is currently running in theatres.
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