Eight months after he staged the comeback of the year and smashed box office records with Pathaan, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan will be hoping to repeat the success with Jawan.
This time he has Nayanthara for company in the highly anticipated film. Popularly referred to as the "lady superstar" of South Indian cinema, she is known for her work in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. Jawan marks her Bollywood and Hindi-language debut.
The action thriller is also the first Bollywood film for director Atlee, the acclaimed filmmaker behind record-breaking Tamil blockbusters Mersal (2017) and Bigil (2019). It's also South Indian music star Anirudh's first fully-fledged Hindi film project as a composer.
Produced by Khan's wife, Gauri Khan, under their Red Chillies Entertainment banner, the film was made for a reported 3 billion rupees ($36 million).
What is Jawan about?
Fans of Khan will be able to enjoy not one, but two characters of his – he has a dual role in Jawan. As Vikram Rathod, he plays a Robinhood-style former soldier who hijacks the Mumbai Metro and presents the government with a set of demands so he can catch notorious arms dealer Kalee (Vijay Sethupathi).
Kalee, meanwhile, is on a mission to obliterate Azad Rathod, also played by Khan, who is an honest police officer and the estranged son of Vikram.
Nayanthara plays an officer tasked with stopping Vikram, who's joined by a squad of six women.
Aspiring pop star Aaliyah Qureishi, who makes her Bollywood debut as a member of Vikram's squad, recently told The National that fans can look forward to “Atlee's visionary flair with all of Shah Rukh Khan's charisma and style.”
“You can look forward to a really fun and exciting film, which also has a really good message at its heart. You can also look forward to seeing us girls beat up some very big guys," she said.
Who else is in the cast?
Besides Khan and Nayanthara in lead roles, Jawan features the aforementioned South Indian actor Sethupathi as Kalee.
Other cast members include South India's Priya Mani Raj and Yogi Babu as well as Sanya Malhotra, Riddhi Dogra, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Girija Oak, Lehar Khan and Sunil Grover.
Khan's Pathaan co-star Deepika Padukone has a cameo in the film while South Indian superstar Vijay – who has starred in three of Atlee's biggest films – and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt are also rumoured to make guest appearances.
How many songs have been released?
Three songs from Jawan have been released so far. The first one, Zinda Banda, released on July 31, has more than 64 million views on YouTube. Chaleya, the second song featuring Khan and Nayanthara, released on August 14, has more than 57 million views. The third single, Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya, was released on August 29 and has more than 33 million views.
Last Thursday, an Arabic version of Chaleya was released featuring Moroccan music couple Grini and Jamila El Badaoui.
Composer Anirudh, who announced himself with his viral hit Why this Kolaveri Di in 2011, shared his excitement about his Bollywood debut with Khan.
"Dreams do come true and how! We make our debut with none other than the King," he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, tagging Khan.
Indian record label T-Series bought the music rights of Jawan for a reported 320 million rupees ($3.8 million), a record price for a Hindi album.
Khan brings Jawan to Dubai
Last week, the Dubai Fountain was a sea of red as thousands flocked to see Khan launch the trailer of Jawan, which was projected onto Burj Khalifa.
Khan, wearing a sparkling red jacket, arrived through a side entrance at The Dubai Mall and was escorted to a makeshift stage on the lagoon.
He addressed the crowd saying the film has all the elements expected from a Bollywood blockbuster.
“The film is two hours and 45 minutes, and it is full of amazing action, comedy, romance and humour,” he said. “The film also talks about the people who are less fortunate than you and I and how we must give them justice. I hope you will enjoy the film because I believe it can be enjoyed by anyone."
Jawan is being released globally in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada in addition to Hindi on September 7
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vault%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBilal%20Abou-Diab%20and%20Sami%20Abdul%20Hadi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInvestment%20and%20wealth%20advisory%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOutliers%20VC%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
