Ugh, long day at work, brain fried, can’t right a real review. Maybe on the weekend after I do a watch 2. But for now, I just want to talk to y’all about the bits I find interesting!
First most important question: Did you like Father SRK or Son SRK the most?
I was going to say “old” versus “young”, but then I remembered Father SRK has a lengthy youthful flashback. And he is a different character than “Son SRK” even when he is young. Son SRK lives in a complicated world, where injustice rules. He’s an optimist, and he is working to fix things, but it’s complicated. Father SRK lives in a simple world. When he is young, he has a wife and a job and he has faith he can fix any problem and nothing bad will happen. And when he is old, his world becomes even simpler, his mental damage means he just sees the problem in front of him with no emotions or complexities around it. While Son SRK’s world starts out SUPER COMPLICATED and then just gets even more crazy as time goes on.
Anyway, I think I like Father SRK best. I like his straightforward “see the problem, punch the problem” kind of life. But there’s a decent chance on a second watch I will appreciate Son SRK and his overthinking and sensitivity a lot more!
Second question: Why did Son SRK agree to marry the person he KNEW was the cop chasing him?
First reason of course was Because Plot. But I will buy it in the film because they set it up so that SRK and the daughter have already fallen into “father-daughter love” before he meets the Nayanthara. And then the first thing she feels obligated to tell him is that daughter is illegitimate and she chose to keep the pregnancy rather than get married. If SRK had backed out at that point, it would have been a clear slap in the face, a sign that her story is why he refused her. Mostly Plot though, I think. She’s very cool, he’s very cool, of course they fall in love.
Third question: Was the emotional peak of the film Deepika’s goodbye speech to Baby SRK? Or was it when Father SRK recognized (finally) Son SRK? Or was it something else?
I say, Deepika. She absolutely killed in that scene. And ultimately, SRK acting against a body double just isn’t going to have the emotional impact as Deepika acting against a child.
Fourth question: Good idea or bad idea to have none of the female backstories involve an abusive partner?
On the negative side, women usually end up in prison because of an abusive situation in some way (fighting back, being coerced into committing crimes, raising money illegally in order to escape, etc. etc. etc.), so having none of the women in the film with that in their past kind of erases a huge reality.
On the positive side, I really REALLY like that none of these women are defined by their romantic partners. Even Nayanthara, she loves SRK but she is ready to continue working against him until her own morality shifts and she agrees with him. And she doesn’t need/want a husband, just a co-parent. So maybe it’s worth it to erase that reality if we get a female doctor, a female child of a farmer, a female survivor of industrial poisoning, all with complex reasons UNRELATED to love stories that motivate them.
Fifth Question: Better chemistry, SRK and Dips or SRK and Nayanthara?
I say, SRK and Dips!!!! I don’t know if it was their comfort level together, or just natural chemistry, but I thought they were way better together.
6th Question: What was your favorite social message of the film?
While microloans for agriculture and state funded healthcare were good, for me it’s a tie between the casual “woman’s right to choose” message of Nayanthara saying “I didn’t have to have an abortion just because my boyfriend ordered me too” and the brilliant social message ju-jitsu of ending it on “all I’m saying is, research the candidates before you vote”. It would look really REALLY shady to go against that message. Like the one kid in class who refuses to let the teacher look at his locker.
7th Question: Was anyone else thinking about Bandini? And how this movie is SO MUCH BETTER?
In Bandini, the women in prison have kind of a cold truce, not a warm protective love for each other. Our heroine constantly chooses her romantic interest over herself, society, everything. And of course, no one is a super fighter commando type.
dontcallitbollywood 
I have some comments about one scene but I don’t want to put it on the blog. I’ll email you. I don’t even want it on the internet to protect SRK!
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I think the other brilliant message of the film was fake news, don’t trust the news. Eg the hospitals have facilities and the news and system scapegoated one doctor instead of owning up
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Another one rooted in facts – the compensation for farmer suicides fueled more suicides. So that bit was also very hard hitting for me
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Sorry for my fragmented comments – I think the SRK dips chemistry was better but it was a part of the plot. SRK dips were shown mid relationship – it’s not like they were New to each other. When in the fight scene, it seemed to me they were already in love and in a relationship. While Nayanthara and SRK never got to really show the intimacy and build on chemistry so perhaps the difference in chemistry was a plot device. And then of course all you say about the comfort levels is also true
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That makes sense. It also goes with the message that Nayanthara might “betray” him. They are falling in love, and it’s fun, but they don’t have that deep bond and trust yet that would come after marriage.
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Yep!!
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I felt like the movie cheated on the Nayanthara romance. The little girl is adorable and her marriage interview is my new favorite of all time. Then SRK and Nayanthara meet, have one conversation to fill in her backstory, and it cuts straight to the song with the love montage. Like, you’re trying to tell me that these two very scarred and complicated people just sweetly fall for each other? In full swoony dance and windblown convertible car ride mode? Not buying it. It’s probably my favorite song sequence in itself but even in the moment my reaction was nope.
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You know, I might have bought their relationship more without the song? Like, I could absolutely buy them as two people who would make a logical decision to get married for the good of Suji, and because they respect and trust each other, and know that love will come after. Even that brief flirty honeymoon scene worked for me, sure have flirty fun and get to know each other on the honeymoon because the engagement/marriage wasn’t about being in love yet. And then that song is selling us on love at first sight which doesn’t quite make sense.
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Plus one. It seemed like just a place to fit a romantic song
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Second watch today and enjoyed it even more than the first, absolutely buzzing 🎉
To answer that most important question; father SRK. Articulating why and how much without swearing and unhinged thirsting is beyond me right now though 😅
After the first show I was kinda too worried about how it was going to be received to just enjoy it, because woah. What a statement and right from the opening scene. The in-universe parts, the references, the metaphors, that epic long fourth wall break, wowsers. And now the response in the reviews I’ve read is so encouraging.
Plus so much fun stuff and brilliant impactful performances from so many in such short bits of screentime and wonderful shots and I need to see it again asap and rave about it tons 🔥
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Father SRK or “Daddy SRK”? Am I using that term correctly?
I’m looking forward to the second watch also! I was so stressed on the first watch trying to guess the plot twists and how it would all work out, this time I’m just gonna relax and enjoy the ride.
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I mean, it is Daddy SRK all over my social media, I just cannot gel with daddy as a term like that lol.
Vikram. Belt-wielding, cigar-smoking, voice-that’s-pure-sex and roughed-up swagger Vikram.
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And shockingly, you are also a fan of Spike! (not shocking, they feel similar)
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Do you think the ending was the setup for a sequel?
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Could be. But I can’t imagine them pulling off everything they did in this movie and making it feel new in a sequel. So I hope there isn’t one! I hope SRK works with Atlee again, but on something new.
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I loved the music and dancing so much. I wish they work together on full masala again. I prefer it to new age Bollywood
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My younger son wants a sequel because he feels they didn’t resolve things with the masked gangster cheetah guy. I told him SRK doesn’t really do sequels. Has he, though?
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I think the only movie I can think is Don 2 but, to me, that means there is precedent for SRK to do a sequel! 🙂
Also, I am with you that the end credits show them in Cuba! I thought the same thing as soon as I saw it.
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Which just adds YET MORE SOCIAL MESSAGING!!!
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A sequel would make sense…time will tell…in between, there will be the elections…
Naina, would you allow Margaret to let me know about the scene (I wouldn’t put anything on the Internet…it’s just for me…I already know that ShahRukh will get into trouble and I would like to know if we think about the same scene…you watched it in Mumbai, in Bandra…another context than I had…and accordingly other comments /reactions from the viewers)
The Jawan-Dad is so much closer to ShahRukh’s real age and maturity, the Jawan-Robin Hood is the rebellious side of ShahRukh (that still is part of the 57-year old SRK)…my love for ShahRukh is unable to make a choice but I can relate to those who prefer the Dad (the super cool, hot, fit & fight-loving, unfussy, about 60-year-old guy)…he is just there to support (he is also less complicated as we don’t know anything about his upbringing).
Logically better ‘chemistry’ with Deepika…would have been strange if not (plotwise and professional/personal-wise).
Emotional peak = Deepika-her son…the Dad-son should be followed up in a sequel, I feel.
Marrying the cop? I think, his love for Suji and his adventurous mind and then falling in love with Suji’s mother…
No other love story was goooood! (Social) relevance of women was a key plot, as the Robin Hood SRK brought important changes even into prison life as a warden…
Each one equally as every single one revealed the mechanism of corrupt power systems… and the message was clear (some months before the voting): don’t trust the propaganda, look at the human being and don’t stop to question…(the part of the voting machines also hinted at possible betrayal).
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Are you on Twitter? I can dm you. Nainaprakash22 is me
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I like your phrase “Robin Hood”! Because yes, that’s what he was! Not just in the stealing from the rich way, but in the trickster thrill seeker rebel kind of way. Jawan Dad was a soldier, first and foremost. He didn’t make the plans, he didn’t have the big ideas, he just executed his missions. Robin Hood SRK enjoyed the whole process of planning and doing and then reeping the results.
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Or maybe it was Sanju planning according to the scenes in the end??
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Naina, Margaret has my email, she can mail it to me…and if you like a talk with me, she can give me yours…what say? 🙂
Yes, the Sanjay role was intriguing as he gave him the next task…and they obviously have discussed the planning of the Metro thingy and the one in the prison together.
Dad-SRK was also a problem-solver (like ShahRukh in real life – when at work at least)…I still wonder who exactly sent him to the rescue just before the intermission…
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She copied you on the email so you should have mine and the comment too 😉
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Did you like Father SRK or Son SRK the most?
Father even if he had more a cameo role than a normal one. He was so cool, and I felt that SRK must have had a lot of fun playing him. Azad was ok, but I didn’t like how fake SRK face looked and it felt like he is trying too much. The father on the contrary was relaxed and with this “I’m too old for this shit” attitude.
Was the emotional peak of the film Deepika’s goodbye speech to Baby SRK? Or was it when Father SRK recognized (finally) Son SRK? Or was it something else?
Deepika. I cried during all the scene/song when she was pregnant and had a child.
Good idea or bad idea to have none of the female backstories involve an abusive partner?
Good.
Better chemistry, SRK and Dips or SRK and Nayanthara?
With Dips of course. In my opinion Nayanthara is one of those actress who doesn’t have chemistry with co-stars. I have seen her with Mammootty, Vijay Sethupathy x2 and SRK. All great actors and with all of them she was always this ice queen, I have never seen a chemistry.
What was your favorite social message of the film?
Vote wisely. It’s exacly what I teach my son.Unfortunately few understand it here in Sicily. People have such a power and waste it.
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Interesting about Nayanthara! I can see that, it’s the same as Madhuri, when you have that much star power yourself sometimes the chemistry just doesn’t work with another actor.
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8th question: why does Vikram choose a mummy wrap disguise in the opening train sequence when at that point he doesn’t know Vikram is alive?
9th question: is Vikram SRK’s way of coming out as his real age on film for the first time? As in, this is me with no hair dye or CGI face smoothing and I’m still a sexy badass?
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correction: why does *Azad choose mummy wrap?
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Yeah, that’s weird. I’ll just go with “psychic subconscious connection between father and son”
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I have another one of these. In main Hoon na – naseeruddin Shah didn’t know about his illegitimate son Ram and yet his son was called Laxman. And later they were – Ram and Laxman fighting Raghavan (Raavan)
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1. Young Vikram was my favorite. So pure, and him and Deepika are beautiful to see together again.
2. Yeah, as I said this romance felt like a cheat to me. Also, was it necessary for them to actually marry? Couldn’t they have just been dating and united through Suji? Instead of the wedding they could have spent that time on a couple of heartfelt scenes showing an emotional connection breaking through their armor and it would have had more impact. (If it feels like I’m complaining: I liked Nayanthara in her role and thought she was great in her action scenes. I just think the script didn’t make space for them.)
3. Hard to pick an emotional peak because it’s hard to pull out one character arc. For Vikram, I’d say the helicopter confrontation then the son reunion scene. For Azad, it’s the voting monologue and the dad reunion scene. For Deepika, definitely the goodbye (and agree she’s amazing, shows a full range of emotional life in a few short scenes). For Nayanthara… tough, she doesn’t have much of an arc…I guess the scene where she learns his backstory? That’s her pivot point.
4. Good idea because this movie was going after the big systemic problems of the state, a domestic abuser doesn’t fit the scale.
5. Dips, hands down.
6. The hospital, the scene where the politician arrived and he went through the list of everything they needed and didn’t have, down to the cotton swabs. It’s such a direct line from funding misused to leaving people stranded without help in the worst moments of their lives.
7. Haven’t sen Bandini but glad this was so much better. 🙂
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Oh! I would say for Nayanthara the emotional peak is when she holds hands with Lakshmi as she dies. I was really interested in how the audience got the flashback to Lakshmi’s children dying, but Nayanthara didn’t. And yet she seemed to know the meaning of the locket with the kid’s photos and Lakshmi calling out her son’s name as she died, and then took on that burden for her.
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UGH, i commented this yesterday but it just wouldn’t post for some reason? posting without logging in to see if it works hmm
I saw the film on Saturday and LOVED IT. I liked them both, but I think father SRK definitely takes the lead in whose my favourite lol. I got so excited when I realised it had been him in the opening sequence-and that he stayed in the village! When he came to rescue Azad i for SURE thought it was gonna be revealed that he’d raised him and then gone off on his own crusade of some kind, but I also really like that he stayed with the village. There’s so many stories where a hero wakes up with no memories and goes on a quest to find out what happened to them/who they are, that it was kind of refreshing to see that Vikram had just. Built a new life for himself.
I have to say though-i was VERY relieved when it was revealed that bald SRK was a disguise, but it would have been nice if he kept the beard-i understand why they didn’t, to make the clear distinction between Father and Son but still.
When SRK and Nayanthara agreed to marry and then it went into Chaleya me and my cousin actually looked at each other and said ‘that was FAST’. We actually thought he was gonna use the connection to her to gain intel/insider information on things and that he was playing her and would realise he loved her in like, the third act or something so it was surprising that that WASN’T the case. I really enjoyed his relationship with Nayanthara’s daughter too, it was very cute.
For me, the emotional peak was definitely Deepika saying goodbye to her son. (although I had a good giggle at how the doctor just took her pulse and declared that she was pregnant haha. It’s almost as funny as when I was watching the drama Tere Bin earlier this year and the couple hadn’t consummated their marriage, but the girl threw up the morning after eating street food and her mother in law immediately went ‘you’re pregnant!!’)
I liked the scene where Father SRK remembers, because he doesn’t immediately go into Beast Mode but actually cries, and honestly, I loved that! but also!! The scene where Son SRK sees his dad for the first time and is so emotional, but then is told his father knows the facts, but has no emotional connection to him…ooof. SRK REALLY looked like a kicked puppy he looked SO SAD I almost cried.
Definitely SRK and Deepika had the better chemistry. I loved how we were shown them when they were already in an established relationship and maybe that contributed because there was no need to set up any first meetings etc, but honestly, i was SO INVESTED in the flashback about son SRKs parents i was almost disappointed when it went back to present day haha. I also very much enjoyed the moustache and now I want to rewatch Paheli 😂
Side note: it would have been such a fun movie idea to have Deepika break out of prison to find her husband, baby in tow after hearing a tiny whisper that he might be alive. She’s a badass character, I bet she could have done it.
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okay my comment wouldn’t post for whatever reason so I’m gonna have to try again when I get home bc I copied it on my laptop but!
I had a silly fanfic idea and idk anyone else who would want to read it-mostly based off how I’ve seen a few posts of people saying imagine vikram/aishwarya as om and shanti if they got out and I started imagining them living under new identities but vikram/om remembers his mum, goes back to her, she asks ab aish/shanti and they stage a prison break I mean that would be SO FUN to write
(Apparently srk films make me want to write fanfic bc soon after watching pathaan I wrote a silly fanfic where some characters from a show I watch were extras in the Jhoome Jo Pathaan video and srk played matchmaker 😂)
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I found your comment! And now it is posted.
Your movie idea, I think that’s the plot of the SRK-Sridevi Army movie. Except SRK really is dead, but Sridevi takes her baby and goes off for vengeance.
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