Jawan boasts of a strong female ensemble comprising of Nayanthara, Priya Mani Raj, Sanya Malhotra and Ridhi Dogra, among many others. SRK’s Pathaan co-star Deepika Padukone also has a special appearance in the film. And in one of his recent #AskSRK sessions on X, Shah Rukh Khan shared that the Atlee directorial is a ‘film about women made for men’ and that the ‘one word that drives the movie is women’.
In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, who makes her big screen debut with Jawan and is part of Shah Rukh’s girl squad in the film, states that despite being a star, he had no qualms in letting the women take centre stage in the film. “If the women are taken out of it, there’s no story. All the decisions taken by Shah Rukh sir’s character are influenced by what happens with the women. That’s how important the women are in the film. It’s not just a film about feminism but also about morals and our society,” she tells us.
Sanjeeta lauds Shah Rukh for being an ‘absolute’ secured actor in his head and feels that him referring to Jawan as a film about women stems from the same. Speaking about the superstar, she says, “He knows exactly what he’s doing. The best part about him is that despite being a superstar, he still has hit feet on the ground and head on his shoulder. He’s so intelligent. He’s aware of all the fluff and love that’s showered on him and yet lets his work speak for itself.”
Sanjeeta, who is also marking her film music debut with Jawan, goes on to add, “His charm and dedication to his art form is what tops all of it. He doesn’t let stardom take precedence. So, the best thing to learn from Shah Rukh sir is the massive amount of humility he has, which is quite something.”
Quiz her if Shah Rukh has shared his feedback on her performance in the film and she says, “We spoke with each other during the music launch of the film. After he thanked us for being a part of his film, we went on stage and had a small conversation about what it has been like. He addressed all six of us. Thankfully, there’s no negative feedback. All of us gave it our best shot. The film is like our baby and it’s finally releasing. We’re hoping for the best and the best it will be because it can’t go wrong.”
With Jawan all set to release tomorrow, does she sense a bout of nervousness? “I would be lying if I say that I’m not nervous. However, I’m not worried about how the film will do. I’m just nervous about seeing myself onscreen. I think that’s a good kind of nervous. It’s the first time I’ll be seeing myself onscreen and sharing screen space with people who we’ve grown up watching, loving, crying with and laughing with,” remarks Sanjeeta, whose debut album Shuruaat was nominated for the Grammys.
Hoping that the film opens doors for her like never before and brings more work her way, the Feels Like Ishq and The Broken News actor shares, “My heart is so full that I’m nervous to see how it actually pans out. But I’m also excited to see what else the film brings into my life and what other opportunities it can get me. More than nervous, I’m overwhelmed. I’m still processing it.”
