Shah Rukh Khan’s 2023 film ‘Jawan‘ created immense excitement with its high-profile promotions, featuring a grand trailer launch, a pre-release event in Chennai, and an audio launch. Director Atlee, actors Vijay Sethupathi and Yogi Babu, music composer Anirudh Ravichander, and many other notable figures attended the event.
The event has come under scrutiny following allegations that Shah Rukh Khan deliberately restricted media access. Reports claim that the actor controlled the narrative by limiting journalists’ opportunities to report freely, leading to widespread discussions about the intent behind such a move. Author and film critic Bharathi S Pradhan recently addressed this issue, speaking about the changing nature of press conferences in Bollywood. During a conversation with ANI, Pradhan voiced her discontent over celebrities increasingly regulating media interactions.
Recalling the Jawan event, she criticised the way media access was handled. According to Pradhan, the press was segregated, and only a select few were allowed to ask questions. She felt the event resembled a celebratory launch rather than an open press conference.
“You should just call it a launch, not a press conference. This is something I hold against Shah Rukh Khan for sure. He did something I find unforgivable. When he had a film called Jawan, they called it a press conference and invited everybody, yet they cordoned off the media. They placed their fans and selected attendees right in front, took questions only from their own people, and did not allow the media proper access,” she stated.
Pradhan further questioned the fairness of Bollywood personalities criticising political figures for avoiding press interactions when similar control is exercised within the film industry. “You people have lost the meaning of a press conference,” she remarked.
‘Jawan’ became one of the biggest box office hits, crossing Rs 1,300 crores and emerging as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2023.
