Shah Rukh Khan, Kamal Haasan and Atlee at the `Jawan` pre-release event in Chennai
The film world is abuzz with excitement as one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year, Atlee Kumar's 'Jawan', readies for its global premiere on September 7. Marking the beginning of significant promotional activities, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, often dubbed the 'Badshah', graced a grand pre-release event held at Sri Sairam Engineering College in Chennai today.
Taking to Twitter to confirm his attendance, Shah Rukh Khan greeted his Chennai fans with a warm 'Vanakkam'. He posted, "Chennai, I am coming!!! All the Jawans - girls & boys at Sai Ram Engineering College be ready⦠I am excited to meet you all! Might even do some tha tha thaiya if asked. See you tomorrow from 3 pm onwards." In the run-up to this major event, the film's team released the third song, "Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya". This followed the release of two other tracks, the stirring "Zinda Banda" and the soulful "Chaleya".
Sri Sairam Engineering College's auditorium in West Tambaram, Chennai, chosen for its vast seating capacity, was teeming with fervent fans, all hoping for a special moment with the superstar. Shah Rukh Khan's decision to shoot a large chunk of the film in Chennai, for nearly 150 days of the shooting schedule had provided financial relief to 3,000 families, revealed Jawan's art director T. Muthuraj. He lauded SRK's choice to come to Chennai rather than creating sets in Mumbai.
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The atmosphere at the venue was electric. Fans went into a frenzy seeing Shah Rukh Khan's camaraderie with the film's team, especially when he affectionately greeted music director Anirudh Ravichander with a kiss on the cheek and shared a heartfelt hug with co-star Vijay Sethupathi. Shah Rukh Khan, always the entertainer, showcased his iconic dance moves on stage with Priyamani and Sunil Grover to his song 'One Two Three Four'.
Sunil Grover not only recreated Shah Rukh Khan's memorable dialogue from Om Shanti Om but also shared a touching story about transitioning from being an SRK fan to a co-star. An unforgettable moment was when Shah Rukh Khan grooved to "Zinda Banda" with composer Anirudh Ravichander, driving fans into wild cheers.
Another heartwarming instance was when Kamal Haasan, who had previously worked with SRK in the 2000 film Hey Ram, made a surprise video call to extend his wishes to the entire team of Jawan. Haasan lauded Shah Rukh Khan saying, "The way you've conducted your career of 30 years with panache and dignity in the face of the worst outrages is commendable."
Yogi Babu reminisced about a special moment from the past, "The first day when I went to the shooting spot, SRK sir was there. When I went and introduced myself, he remembered me and said - welcome bhai, 13 years back, Chennai Express. That was more than enough for me."
Shah Rukh Khan has been an icon in South India, especially because of previous work in his filmography like 'Chennai Express.' Priyamani summed up the sentiment of many in attendance and thanks South Indian audiences for showing the superstar love in abundance. She stated, "It makes me so emotional to see Shah Rukh Khan getting all the love he deserves. I'll always be grateful to Atlee sir, Anirudh (Ravichander) and the people of south India for showering Shah Rukh Khan with so much love."
Ahead of the film's release Shah Rukh Khan also visited Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu to seek blessings. Several videos and pictures of the actor went viral on social media in which he could be seen walking along with the pilgrims amid security. According to reports from ANI, SRK fans had travelled from far and wide just to get a glimpse of the star at the pre-release event.
'Jawan' is directed by Atlee and also stars Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead roles. Priyamani and Sanya Malhotra also star in the film which will have a cameo by Deepika Padukone.
