Jawan has proven that Pathaan was not a fluke for comeback king Shah Rukh Khan. Experts believe that the actor has made a strong comeback with a new avatar that has effectively put to rest all speculation about his declining box office appeal. King Khan’s second film of the year, Jawan, has already surpassed the opening day earnings of Pathaan. Jawan has grossed Rs 129 crore (Rs 1.29 billion) worldwide and Rs 75 crore (Rs 750 million) domestically on its opening day, Thursday.
This makes Jawan the highest-grossing opening day for a Bollywood film, surpassing Pathaan’s opening day collection of Rs 57 crore (Rs 570 million). Despite a nearly five-year absence from the silver screen, Shah Rukh Khan has not lost his hold on his audience. Experts unanimously agree that the actor continues to enjoy a strong appeal among brands. Brands have always been drawn to him, but the 57-year-old has now added a muscular sheen to his image. Jawan, Khan’s latest film, has been a huge success at the box office. On its second day, it crossed Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) in collections. Over the weekend, it has moved beyond Rs 150 crore (Rs 1.5 billion) and is marching towards the Rs 200-crore (Rs 2 billion) club.
Brand experts believe that this year has marked the arrival of Shah Rukh Khan 3.0. Khan has reinvented himself as a more mature and action-oriented star. He is no longer content to play eye candy or the boy next door. He has found his mark and is now ready to take on more challenging roles. Kunal Lalani, founder and chairman of Crayons Advertising, believes that King Khan is following in the footsteps of Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan also reinvented himself as a more mature and action-oriented star in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Lalani believes that brands will be drawn to Khan as he builds himself in a new light and plays his age. He said, “He doesn’t need to play eye candy or a boy next door anymore. He has found his mark.” Lalani also pointed out that Khan’s comeback vehicle, Pathaan, was a huge success. The film grossed over Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) at the box office.
