Jawan: A Rare Brave Film To Address Real-Life Socio-Political Issues; Shah Rukh Khan Dares Again After Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

The film highlights the rise of farmers’ suicide and points out why the country’s farming laws have not been amended in the correct way and serves as a reminder to change.  Jawan addresses the farmers’ issues and their sufferings from drought to flood to debt and finally suicide.

Shah Rukh Khan acts as a messiah who extorts money from the rich (old school way of drama and unlawfully) and distributes it among farmers to repay their loans. By including this reference in a mainstream masala movie, Jawan brings attention to an important issue and encourages viewers to think critically about the impact of industry on society.

The Gorakhpur Hospital Tragedy refers to an incident that occurred in 2017 at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. The hospital ran out of liquid oxygen supply, which resulted in the deaths of over 80 patients, including 63 children.

In the movie Jawan, there is a sequence that echoes the Gorakhpur Hospital Tragedy. Sanya Malhotra plays the role of Dr. Eeram, a doctor who is accused of multiple child deaths. The sequence resembles the real-life incident involving Dr. Kafeel Khan, a pediatrician at Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College and Hospital who was arrested after the tragedy. Dr. Khan’s heroic efforts to secure oxygen cylinders for critically-ill children were overshadowed by accusations and a legal battle that led to his arrest. In the movie, through Dr. Eeram’s character, Jawan seems to pay homage to the brave doctor.

Jawan takes an unusual step for a mainstream masala movie by referencing the 1984 Union Carbide Bhopal gas tragedy, one of India’s worst industrial disasters. On the night of December 2, 1984, one of the biggest industrial disasters to ever take place began unfolding in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Harmful Methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas started leaking from a nearby Union Carbide pesticide plant, eventually resulting in the Bhopal Gas tragedy. An estimated 3,000 people died within the first few days. The final death toll was estimated to be between 15,000 and 20,000.

Jawan’s reference to this tragic event serves as a powerful reminder of the need for cleaner industrial practices and sends a pointed message to big businesses. The film’s emphasis on the ongoing medical, legal, and moral consequences of the tragedy highlights the importance of corporate responsibility and accountability. By including this reference in a mainstream masala movie, Jawan brings attention to an important issue and encourages viewers to think critically about the impact of industry on society.

The film not only mentions this tragic event but also delves into it twice, emphasizing the ongoing medical, legal, and moral consequences. It serves as a reminder of the need for cleaner industrial practices and sends a pointed message to big businesses.

The Bofors scandal was a major political scandal that occurred between India and Sweden during the 1980s and 1990s. It involved politicians from the Indian National Congress, primarily implicating the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and several other members of the Indian and Swedish governments who were accused of receiving kickbacks from Bofors AB, a Swedish arms manufacturer, for winning a bid to supply India with their 155 mm field howitzer.

In the movie Jawan, there is a flashback sequence set in the 1980s that draws parallels to the real-life Bofors scandal. In this sequence, Vikram Rathore (Azad’s father) serves as a commando in the Indian army and is assigned to lead a mission to eliminate a terrorist group. During this mission, Vikram discovers that the weapons provided to the soldiers are malfunctioning, resulting in the deaths of previous soldiers sent to eliminate the terrorist group. Vikram holds the weapon supplier, Kaalie (Vijay Sethupathi), responsible for the malfunctioning weaponry and urges the government to terminate its contract with him. This incident in Jawan has some similarities to events in 1986, coinciding with the Bofors scandal in India.