The King is back for his throne.
The Big Picture
- Shah Rukh Khan’s action-thriller Jawan has stormed the box office, grossing an impressive $9.4 million in India and $15.6 million globally on its opening day. It has already surpassed Khan’s previous blockbuster Pathaan.
- Jawan offers a new scope for Khan to dive into the thriller genre while still playing on his championed themes of justice and challenging the unchallenged. It showcases Khan in a complex role with multiple versions of his character, surrounded by a star-studded cast.
- As Khan enters a new chapter in his film legacy, he aims to create more action-packed films, with two more movies slated for release this year. With his track record, it seems like 2023 could be the biggest year of Khan’s career so far.
Shah Rukh Khan‘s return to the box office – his second this year – was undoubtedly always going to rouse interest but the King of Bollywood has proven he is not leaving without causing a scene. Opening on Thursday, Khan’s action-thriller Jawan has already snatched the box office crown from the actor’s previous blockbuster offering Pathaan.
Storming into the box office with undeniable intent, Jawan grossed an impressive $9.4 million in India from it’s Hindi-language offering. In addition to this, Jawan has been released in Tamil and Telugu in line with India’s mass South Indian presence pulling in a far-from-shy $1.3 million from the dubbed versions, according to Variety. SRK’s global phenom is felt in the overseas taking which makes up the remainder of the film’s astonishing $15.6 million opening day – claiming the title for the biggest opening day for a Hindi-language film. In comparison, Pathaan shook the box office back in January with its $8.32 million taking in India and an additional $4.5 million overseas during its first day in theaters bringing its total cume on day one to $12.7 million.
Who is Jawan?
The Atlee-directed film is Khan’s second formal offering after making an announced step away from his legacy of romance. It follows the story of Jawan, a soldier who is led by his desire to rehabilitate the corruption in society taking justice into his own hands. The film has been steeped in enigma with the trailer offering little insight into exactly who Jawan is, seemingly teetering on the line between good and evil. Various versions of the character capture him in different lights, some strategic and calculated and others unhinged and drenched in anger. If that wasn’t complicated enough, Jawan also has to contend with an antagonist with his own agenda. If SRK’s star power alone wasn’t enough, the movie also enlists the likes of Deepika Padukone in a cameo, who starred opposite Khan in Pathaan, and giants of South Indian cinema Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara.
Whilst Khan has dabbled across the genres, Jawan creates new scope for Khan to dive head-first into the thriller genre, hinging itself unapologetically on enigma. That being said, it still plays on common themes Khan has championed in the past including justice and challenging the unchallenged. The fresh territory comes as Khan enters a new chapter in his film legacy as he vies to create more action-packed films or in Khan’s words Mission Impossible-style films. It is the second of three offerings Khan is slated to release this year with a third movie, Dunki also expected to in the final quarter of the year. If SRK’s track record is anything to go by, it looks like 2023 could be shaping up to be the biggest year of Khan’s career to date.
Jawan is in theaters now. You can watch the trailer for the film below.
