Vaibhav Vats delves into the remarkable success and resurgence of Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood's iconic Muslim actor, under the Hindu-nationalist regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Khan, India's leading movie star, faced challenging times but made a triumphant return with the movie "Jawan," breaking opening-day box office records. The movie's release was celebrated with vibrant drum parades and devotional acts, such as pouring milk over cutout images of the Muslim actor, usually reserved for Hindu deities. Khan, an advocate of pluralism due to his mixed background and being married to a Hindu, symbolizes India's diverse ethos, contrasting the Hindu right's ideology. His resurgence holds significance beyond the film industry, becoming a focal point where the notions of a pluralist, democratic India clash with authoritarian Hindu nationalism.

The article chronicles how Khan, unlike other prominent figures in Bollywood, refused to align with Hindu supremacists, openly speaking against religious intolerance and being targeted for his views. Facing harassment, threats, and income tax raids, the actor's resilience has positioned him as a significant figure in a socio-political landscape divided by religious sentiments. Vats highlights how Khan's movie success serves as a means of cultural resistance against the Hindu nationalist regime. The recent films, "Pathaan" and "Jawan," convey a political narrative that reflects resistance and defiance against the Modi government's divisive policies. "Jawan" particularly weaves subtle but significant references to contemporary Indian political issues, depicting a nation imprisoned by corrupt governance and divisiveness, resonating deeply with a nation divided under Modi's rule. The narrative surrounding Khan's recent films, celebrated by a wide audience, primarily composed of liberals and Muslims, denotes an assertion of autonomy and a pushback against the dominance of the Hindu right.