Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan, released in 2023, was a massive success at the box office, shattering records and securing its place as one of the year's most significant blockbusters. Directed by Atlee, the film boasted an ensemble cast, including megastar Shah Rukh Khan, whose dual role captivated audiences worldwide. Amidst the film’s grandeur, actor and digital content creator Viraj Ghelani, who had a minor role in the film, recently opened up about his experience, describing it as one of the most disheartening in his career.
Speaking candidly on The Having Said That Show, Viraj expressed his frustrations and the disenchantment he felt while working on the project. Reflecting on his time on set, he remarked, “Don’t even bring it up; it was absurd. Why did I do it? People were kind enough to watch the film for my sake, but this was my worst experience yet. The reality is, they don’t acknowledge you when they have stars like Sanjay Dutt, Shah Rukh Khan—two Shah Rukh Khans—and all these other elements.”
It was clear from his account that the excitement of being part of a big-budget film quickly faded, as he encountered a work environment that seemed indifferent to the contributions of smaller actors and creators.
A Mechanical Work Culture
Elaborating on the atmosphere on set, Viraj described the work culture as highly regimented, almost devoid of personal interaction or creative freedom. “The work culture was very mechanical,” he explained. “They’d just tell you, ‘Stand here, do that.’” His frustrations reached a peak during a scene where he was supposed to be holding a gun while portraying a policeman. However, as the scene transitioned from a close-up to a wide shot, he noticed that the prop department had taken away his gun. When he brought this to the crew's attention, their response was dismissive: “The gun will come to you, just wait.” But, to his disbelief, the prop never reappeared.
Casting Creators for Clout
Ghelani's dissatisfaction with his role in Jawan did not merely stem from the production’s oversight but also from what he perceived to be the superficial nature of his casting. He felt that his presence on set was more about leveraging his online following than recognising his talent. He recalled being “just there briefly, fading into the background as a blurry figure,” despite initially having proper dialogues in the film. His disappointment was further exacerbated by the fact that he had invested significant time and effort into the project, enduring the scorching May heat on Madh Island for ten days, only for his role to be cut down to a few fleeting moments in the final film.
“Out of the 15 days of work, they only used what we filmed in the first 30 minutes on the very first day,” Viraj lamented. He concluded with a poignant observation about how digital creators like himself are often cast “purely for the sake of clout.”
