Parents' Guide to Jawan

Director Atlee and superstar Khan team up to deliver a high stakes, fast-paced action film that packs a punch. Already well established in the Tamil film industry, Jawan marks the director's first foray into mainstream Bollywood, and he nails it. Having achieved great success at the box office, clips from the movie where (one of) Khan's character delivers a monologue to Indian voters, still circulate on social media. The politics of vigilante justice and armed resistance depicted here may be murky, but the message is hope, and it is delivered extremely well. The action scenes are impeccably shot, the costumes and prosthetic make-up are on point, and the casting choices are refreshing. Khan's double role as Vikram and Azad is a treat, and his pairing with Nayanthara, who plays Narmada, a head of a counter-terrorism unit, raises the excitement levels. Sethupathi also excels in portraying Kalee Gaikwad, the film's central villain. Additionally, most songs are choreographed beautifully though musically they are arguably lacking. If you can stomach the gore, this is a Bollywood action movie with something to say.