Name: Pathaan (2023)
Genre: Action, Thrilier
Duration: 2 h 26 min
Rating: 7.3
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Ashutosh Rana, Dimple Kapadia

Sambhal

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An Indian secret agent races to form a special unit after a Pakistani general enlists a private terror outfit to launch attacks on India. As the stakes rise, a high-octane mission unfolds.

Pathaan (2023)

Bollywood Hungama

Times of India

India Today

The Indian Express

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PATHAAN is the story of a passionate agent working for the country. In 2019, after the government of India revoked Article 370, an enraged Pakistan general Qadir (Manish Wadhwa) decides to take revenge. He signs a contract with Jim (John Abraham), a dreaded terrorist who has an extreme enmity towards India. RAW's Nandini (Dimple Kapadia), meanwhile, gets a glimpse of a mysterious lady in France, with whom she has had sort of a past connection. Due to this development, she decides to meet Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan), an agent who was once one of the best agents for India but has now supposedly gone rogue. Three years ago, Pathaan had come across Rubina Mohsin (Deepika Padukone) and from thereon, things went downhill for him. But the country right now needs Pathaan to save itself from the clutches of Jim. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Siddharth Anand's story is simple and even clichéd. But Shridhar Raghavan's screenplay is highly engaging as the writer peppers the narrative with loads of action, humour, thrill, and even emotions. Abbas Tyrewala's dialogues are smart yet conversational. A few dialogues are moving.

Siddharth Anand's direction is first-rate. To begin with, he has handled the grandeur very well. In fact, the scale is more than what was seen in WAR [2019]. The way he ensured that he does not go overboard with the scale is praiseworthy. He also does justice to the various twists and turns in the tale. The director very well handles an emotional sequence in the second half, which takes place at the Indian Institute of Contagious Disease.

On the flipside, logic takes a backseat in several places. The way Pathaan conveniently enters even the most high-security zones and escapes almost unscathed is difficult to digest. The Afghanistan episode in the climax is predictable. However, the makers compensate for these shortcomings with some high-octane action and thrilling scenes and hence, one will not complain much after coming out of the cinema hall.

PATHAAN begins with a paisa vasool entry scene of Shah Rukh Khan. The flashback portions also contribute to the fun. Rubina’s entry and the scene thereafter are sure to be greeted with claps and whistles. The Moscow episode has a lot of humour and the intermission point is a shocker. Post interval, several scenes stand out like the chase sequence on the frozen lake, the madness in the train, and at the Indian Institute of Contagious Disease. The climax is nail-biting and the film ends on a high. The scene that follows the end credit song is terrific and because it is relevant to the real-life scenario!
Speaking of performances, Shah Rukh Khan is in superb form. The superstar looks quite dashing and performance-wise, he is a treat to watch. With his humour, style and action, he enhances the commercial element of the film many notches higher. And as expected, he also shines in the emotional scenes. Deepika Padukone is at her hottest best and delivers a bravura performance. Her character is crucial to the narrative and she looks quite cool while doing action. John Abraham is an apt choice for the role of the menacing and dashing villain. His screen time is limited in the first half but he makes up for it after the intermission. Salman Khan (Tiger) is outstanding, to say the least. Both his scenes are the most memorable ones in the film. Dimple Kapadia, Ashutosh Rana (Captain Luthra), Manish Wadhwa, Prakash Belawadi (Scientist), Aakash Bhatija (Nandini's junior) and the actor playing the pilot do well.

Vishal-Sheykhar's music is of chartbuster variety. 'Besharam Rang' is already a rage and comes into the film at an important juncture. The same goes for 'Jhoome Jo Pathaan'. Special mention should also go to Vaibhavi Merchant's choreography (in 'Besharam Rang') and Bosco-Caesar's choreography (in 'Jhoome Jo Pathaan'). Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara's background score is memorable, especially the theme played during Jim’s scenes.

Satchith Paulose's cinematography is spectacular and the various foreign locales are breathtakingly shot. Rajat Poddar's production design is top-class. Casey O’Neill, Craig Macrae, and Sunil Rodrigues' action is one of the highpoints of the film. Shaleena Nathani, Mamta Anand, and Niharika Jolly's costumes are stylish, especially the ones worn by Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. yFX's VFX matches global standards. Aarif Sheikh's editing is razor-sharp.

On the whole, PATHAAN is a complete entertainer, replete with action, emotions, patriotism, humour, thrill, and of course, the star power of Shah Rukh Khan. At the box office, it will take a historic opening and will emerge as one of the biggest hits of Bollywood. In short, it has BLOCKBUSTER written all over it!

An event film of sorts, since it marks Shah Rukh Khan’s return to the big screen after four long years, Pathaan is an ambitious action thriller that plays to the gallery and lives up to the hype. Far fetched in writing but high on star power and style, Pathaan feels more like a filmy Mountain Dew commercial which slowly but steadily finds its footing.
The plot follows India’s revocation of article 370 (special status of Jammu and Kashmir) and its impact on a Pakistani officer, who wants india to pay for this ‘mistake’. He reaches out to the formidable Jim, an Ex RAW agent wronged by his own people. He is joined by his ravishing accomplice Rubai an ex ISI agent (Deepika Padukone) with ambiguous motives. Pathaan, Jim and Rubina lock eyes and horns, as they hop continents and indulge in a dangerous game of betrayal and revenge. The three race to destroy and protect the worlds they believe in.
Director Siddharth Anand gives an over the top treatment to his spy thriller. He presents it more like a superhero film that needs massive suspension of disbelief. His fascination and fan boy worship of mainstream Hollywood blockbusters like Marvel films or Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible series to name a few, is evident here. Expect Falcon like wingsuit, exaggerated action & chase sequences, death and gravity defying stunts on cars, bikes, ice and helicopters, immortal heroes and villains mouthing punchy dialogues, a femme fatale and it all seeped in the idea of patriotism.
Action overrides emotions for major part of the film and given SRK’s dominance in that territory, it’s interesting how he lets his body do the talking here along with those powerfully evocative eyes. It is his presence that salvages an average script and subpar VFX. While the background score doesn’t feel in sync with the scenarios, the title music manages to reflect the heroism and bravado on display.
The film’s highlight however is John Abraham’s solid portrayal of Jim. Be it his Bane like masked entry or stunt sequences, John is outstanding and makes a classic case of the villain overshadowing the hero in portions. Deepika Padukone can kick ass and is perfectly cast but her chemistry with SRK feels lacklustre and underdeveloped. It lacks the spark that John-SRK’s characters share. Dimple Kapadia does a Tenet once again and lends that much needed gravitas and emotional left to the proceedings. You wish other characters exuded the sincerity of her part.
The YRF spy universe reunites Karan and Arjun to give you an out and out whistle moment. If you are willing to overlook the frivolity in dialogues like ‘You are pretty screwed’, Pathaan has all the ingredients of a masala potboiler — slowmo entries, iconic battle of good versus bad and most importantly a sexy-smouldering Shah Rukh Khan, who can fight the good fight on and off the screen.

There is a poetic justice in his glare. He has the physique of a spy, but it is the eyes that do most of the talking in Pathaan. After a gap of five years, Shah Rukh Khan is back on the big screen doing what he does best - charm your pants off and remind us why he’s part of a dwindling breed - the real superstars.

Director Siddharth Anand, who’s best known for glamorising his stars and presenting them in what sometimes look like lavish set pieces inspired by Hollywood films, Pathaan is no departure from his signature style. If anything, it is a reminder of his previous work - the bromance laden War and the Mr and Mrs Smith desi tribute called Bang Bang ! Here, Anand serenades the audiences with scenes and imagery that is a direct tribute to some iconic Hollywood film.
Shah Rukh’s Pathaan is a shadow of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark. He might not be as rich as Stark or have a super hero spacesuit, but his game with women and one-liners are an accurate ode to him. Similarly, Deepika’s Pakistani ISI agent act has shades of Scarlett Johansson in her action flicks. The climax and a few other action scenes too feel like blueprints picked from Hollywood films like Mission Impossible, Fast and the Furious and others.

But Pathaan isn’t a wannabe film. Neither is it trying to masquerade as a Vin Disel or Tom Cruise offering. Pathaan’s story is the first chapter in India’s first indigenous spy-verse. If the West has MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), India has its own SCU led by the trio of Tiger, Kabir and now Pathaan. The plot is laden with patriotic sentiment. A rogue agent, Jim (a very good looking John Abraham) is set to seek vengeance against India. The timing of his revenge comes at a time when India scraps article 370, thereby triggering neighbouring country Pakistan’s sinister designs to capture Kashmir. Pathaan is now on a mission to stop Jim, but trust issues crop up for Pathaan when a sexy distraction presents itself in the form of ISI agent Rubina Khan (Deepika Padukone). Is she an ally or an enemy ? Her own backstory exposes her intent and gives the story its much-needed pre-interval twist. Heavy on action scenes and smart dialogues, the film looks sexy and sensory.
Pathaan’s second half triumphed its first. The action pieces are devoid of logic and reason, but then again, this isn’t a documentary. It’s also the first time you watched SRK do hardcore action scenes. And the reason it works is because Anand has given him some realistic hand combat sequences with John. It’s not just jet planes zipping through midair or Ferraris skidding on ice, the action is Pathaan is bold and fearless.

Shah Rukh is the heart of Pathaan and he’s a constant reminder of why we enjoy watching him on the big screen. He sells the most bizarre plot twists with a straight face and you are charmed to buy it. Deepika Padukone needs a bonafide stand-alone action film. She truly has the physique and demeanour to do a Tomb Raider. John Abraham as the bad guy is a terrific cast. Once you go beyond how good he looks in Pathaan, you realise why he’s one of the greatest action heroes of our times. John has never got his due in a lot of his films. Thankfully, in Pathaan, he not only holds his ground opposite SRK but also shines with grace. The high point that everyone nervously waits for in Pathaan, which also is a major highlight of the film, is the ‘Pathaan meets Tiger’ moment. It is an absolute thrill to watch Salman and SRK in the same frame throw digs at each other while beating some goons. This will go down in the annals of cinematic history as a perfect tribute to the stardom of these two actors.

The main hiccup in Pathaan is the action blocks, which sometimes gets tiring. Some portions look like they have a stunt double and others make it too obvious that they have been shot with green mat. Recently, Hollywood actor Tom Cruise pulled off a stunt in his latest Mission Impossible film that will go down in history as the greatest love an actor can have for his craft. The 60-year-old actor did his own bike dive from the edge of a cliff. No Croma, no body double. Just Tom on a bike doing his thing. This makes me realise that when it comes to action, we need to install a part of realism into our choreography. The other glitch with Pathaan is with some of the dialogues, SRK gets flirty with Deepika and calls her a ‘bomb’ while admitting he’s ready for a ‘blast’ as her thigh seductively grazes him. In another scene, he tries to use his comic side to rhyme the Russian currency roubles with the word ‘boobles’ while referring to a lady flaunting her cleave. Smarter writing would definitely have saved Pathaan.

Pathaan is unapologetically fun. It isn’t trying to send a public service message or pass a commentary on the current state of affairs. Instead, it sets the clock back to a time when a Shah Rukh Khan film at the cinemas was a moment to rejoice. In a recent #AskSRK session, the actor revealed his unfulfilled wish. He wrote, ‘Itni shakti rahe mujh mein ki aap ke bacchon ko bhi entertain kar sakoon’ (I hope I have the strength to even entertain your kids)." If his enthusiasm and energy in Pathaan is anything to go by, then one thing is for sure - SRK is not going anywhere. This Pathaan is the perfect opening to India’s very own Spy Universe.

Hindi movies have been constructing the ‘desi’ equivalents of the Bond-Bourne franchise for a while now. Tiger has been ‘zinda’ in two straight adventures, Agent Vinod has done his bit, BellBottom has flexed and flared, but it is ‘Pathaan’ which has got the spy movie-laced-with-heavy-doses-of-patriotism bouncing off the screen, with Shah Rukh Khan acing the action avatar, flaunting the floppy-hair-glinting-aviators-eight packs (or is it twelve?) look.

That’s because it has finally got what’s needed in an action movie — non-stop action, leavened by glamorous leads, topped by the guy who can save the world, a high-octane set piece, and an emo line at a time.
Bonus: the very svelte Deepika Padukone, matching SRK stride for stride, giving stiff competition to Katrina Kaif, who kicked serious ass in Tiger 2. There’s also Dimple Kapadia, building on her blink-and-miss-role in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’, as the foxy Moneypenny equivalent. And the chief antagonist, played by John Abraham, who manages to make the most of his lines.The plot involves a slew of spies, sardonic RAW chiefs, evil ISI generals and gun-toting terrorists inhabiting global hotspots. Pakistan is back eyeing Kashmir (it will never learn, will it). One of India’s own, Jim (John Abraham) has gone rogue. Gorgeous ISI agent Rubina (Deepika Padukone) is as at home in a bikini as she is in skin-tight spandex. A deadly virus, much more dangerous than Covid 19, is being cooked up in top-secret labs. There’s clear and present danger, and desh-ke-dushman crawling all over the landscape. But breathe easy, because India’s best and bravest, Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan) is at hand.

The problem of carrying off a two-and-half hour film is evident in the places where you stifle a yawn (yes, it can happen even when everything is galloping along at break-neck speed). Just so there’s nothing missed out, we have Pathaan and Jim facing off in the air (many helicopters were hurt in the making of this film), skimming over ice-floes and under icy water, chasing each other down twisty roads. Plus, the third person mention of ‘Pathaan’ starts getting tiresome (kitni baar bologe, yaar). Trust us, we got it the first time.
But the slack is tightened quickly enough: an entire train is commandeered in the service of a special featuring Pathaan and a keffiyeh-sporting spy whose trademark moves had the audience roaring. And then there is that song which created such a controversy weeks before it hit the theatres. There really is nothing in it that we haven’t seen before (YRF songs-on-beaches should rightfully be a separate Bollywood sub-genre) but there’s no denying that Pathaan and Rubina swaying and narrowing their eyes at each other on a Spanish beach, is more a hot proposition than a potato. But let me reassure those worried: nothing besharam happens, sadly, even with nothing between them but a gun.
The film comes at a time when Bollywood, and SRK have been under siege. ‘Pathaan’ is that jawaab of this beleaguered pathaan, who manages multiple feats in his comeback after a clutch of medium-bad to terrible films: gives it those ones to the #BoycottBollywood brigade, pulls off the dishy-and-dishevelled look rippling those abs, give us a laugh-out-loud moment (I won’t ruin it for you, but it involves a line from an early SRK character, also in a YRF film, which would have become eminently meme-worthy if memes were a thing those days) and saves Bharat Mata.


In nearly 24 years of my career, I've never witnessed such a tsunami of enthusiasm for a Shah Rukh Khan release -- advance booking surfeit, police bandobast outside the theatre et al.
That's saying something considering the hype surrounding his films like Asoka, Devdas, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham or Om Shanti Om isn't an everyday phenomena and the struggle to procure its tickets in a pre-social media era is a legend of its own.

Yet, even Shah Rukh couldn't help reeling in amazement at how Pathaan's arrival in theatres has taken the form of a large-scale festival.

The excitement to see the star come out with a new movie since 2018's Zero has been building all along. Whether it was SRK's decision to slow down and take his own sweet time in deciding on his next project or teasing us with every passing special appearance, the countdown only gained mad momentum in the wake of unwarranted personal blows and controversies.
They messed with the wrong superstar.

SRK didn't choose to embody the fairy-tale aspiration of every middle-class dream.

He didn't volunteer to become the symbol of love against a culture of hate.

But a man is a sum of his choices and thought. And both his cinematic imagery and grace under fire have us convinced us that he's the champion we want to root for and drive away this band of boycotters for good.

Pathaan ceased to be a movie long ago. It became a fight, a festival that multitudes have jumped in to support and celebrate for the sake of sanity, SRK and success-starved Hindi films.

Myth or madness?

Doused in spicy masala and subversive patriotism from head to toe, Pathaan lives up to this notion in a thumping, thundering,fashion.

When we first see SRK's titular character in Siddharth Anand's dynamic espionage extravaganza, he's in shackles -- bruised, beaten and battered but sense of humour unscathed.

A quintessential picture of down but not out, he quips 'Hindi only, please.'

There's a cheeky quality to his request if one hears the constant conversation about South Indian cinema supremacy over scrambling-to-survive Bollywood in mind.

Pathaan is happier focusing on crafting a bona fide spectacle through some good old-fashioned action while telling a familiar conflict with renewed vigour and astute writing.

Be it the contentious Article 370 to India and Pakistan's perennially thorny equation, Director Siddharth Anand responsibly uses current affairs and diplomatic conditions without playing safe or appearing clueless about the post-COVID-19 world it is set within.

Unravelling at a breakneck pace all over the globe from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan to Spain, Russia and Dubai, Pathaan's shifting landscapes and smouldering sensuality smoothly blend style and substance.

If one half of the movie recalls the stardom of a daredevil agent (SRK) and his deadly nemesis (John Abraham), the other doles out a face off worth the wait.

Terrorist outfits, dying dictators, abducted scientists, double crossing agents, bio-terrorism weapons, sorrowful backstories and betrayals and save-the-innocent objectives colour this largely Daniel Craig-era inspired desi 007.

Behind every successful hero and villain is a crackling team of writers who knows how to make the audience cheer for a good fight.

Shridhar Raghavan's sprightly screenplay while evoking fond memories of SRK's best hits -- the iconic stutter in Darr, the betrayals of Baazigar, the bromance of Karan Arjun, the scruffy ponytail in Don 2 -- and Abbas Tyrewala's priceless dialogues make the job a lot more easier for its hot and hunky cast.

Everybody looks like a perfect piece of factory manufactured action figure but their interactions are far from plastic. Never did I imagine I'd live to see characters utter words like 'orbs' in a Hindi movie.

It's also such a relief to write John Abraham is one of the best things about Pathaan without a hint of sarcasm. Tyrewala reserves some of the best lines -- 'Jo patte mile hote hain ussi se baazi khelni padti hai' for his Jhootha Hi Sahi hero.

Ever wished to see Deepika Padukone in Bond girl avatar?

Pathaan is fantasy fulfillment at its seductive best.

Her ravishing, robust, body language sporting bikinis of *all* hues and necklines exudes power like few can. Equally fun are the randy, flirty, exchanges between SRK and her.

Here's a sampler:

He: Tum bomb lag rahi ho.

Her: Have a blast!

There's Dimple Kapadia, M to Pathaan's James Bond.

The actress has the heft of a rock solid professional, someone who can make tough decisions but is human enough to make us care.

Between its energetic pursuits and mid-air collisions and chases in snow and dust, Pathaan cleverly connects itself to Salman Khan's Tiger and Hrithik Roshan's War, making way for YRF's ambitious spy universe.

The franchise was always slick, but with Pathaan, it shows smarts too in a delightfully escapist way.

Discovering an unlikely action hero in Shah Rukh Khan contributes to it significantly.

It's not like he's not been doused in blood before or hammered half a dozen, zoomed off in a fancy vehicle and proclaimed grand love for Bharat Mata.

But the actor's weathered intensity, grizzly charisma and trademark wit lends Pathaan's all-out, devil-may-care antics a sense of purpose that historically evades mindless acts of mayhem.

Phenomenally entertaining and consistently engaging, Pathaan, for all the derivative genre components it compiles, is a spy thriller that crackles with energy. It goes the distance riding on the insouciant and cocky charm that Shah Rukh Khan, in his first full-fledged appearance on the big screen since 2018's Zero, brings to an exercise that is at once excessive and exciting.

It isn't, however, the superstar alone who propels Pathaan, which plays to the gallery with abandon. The writing by Shridhar Raghavan is smart although not everything in the unabashedly fantastical film makes total sense. Abbas Tyrewala, who peppers Pathaan with gunpowder-dry punch lines, contributes in no small measure to keeping this action-packed movie on the boil all the way till the end.

On the technical side, too, Pathaan packs a massive punch. The cinematography by Satchith Paulose is from the topmost drawer. Editor Aarif Sheikh lends the film a pacy rhythm that leaves no room for dull passages. And the pulpy panache of Siddharth Anand's directorial sleights is impressive. They combine to make Pathaan a thoroughly riveting movie that instantly gets the willing suspension of disbelief that it demands and thrives on. 
The ease is, of course, facilitated majorly by the presence of Shah Rukh Khan, who does not miss a trick in jettisoning his King of Romance persona and donning the garb of an unflappable, unstoppable action hero. He does not let the effort behind the transition show one bit. He sails through the role and the film as if this is what he was always meant to do.

The performances from most of the other principal actors - Deepika Padukone, Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana - are perfectly in tune with the style and substance of Pathaan. The film hits its straps without wasting any time. The actors, especially Deepika Padukone, do likewise, getting into the swing of things in a jiffy.   

The heroine of Pathaan is an ISI agent with a back story that makes her the inscrutable and unpredictable person she is. Her enigma ensnares the hero more than once and provides the film's biggest twists. Deepika Padukone pulls off the dual act of an irrepressible femme fatale and a committed soldier with elan.  
However, John Abraham as the very, very bad guy who has a score to settle with the nation he once served with distinction does not exude the level of menace that you would expect from a man wounded and incensed to the point of insanity.    

The most striking aspect of Pathaan, a masala entertainer at heart, is that it has the gumption to go beyond the parameters of a massy movie and produce sharp, insightful moments that serve as a commentary on pressing issues of the day. It is far more about humanity than about shallow patriotism, which, coming at a time when the Mumbai movie industry thrives on the othering and demonising of communities to further a dominant political narrative, is an act of courage that deserves to be celebrated. 
Although it is essentially about people going for the jugular and centres on a villain who plans to unleash a biological weapon on civilians, Pathaan adopts a pacifist approach to war and espionage. It offers a counter-narrative to the Islamophobic thrillers and historical epics that the Mumbai industry has of late been dumping upon the audience without the slightest attempt to disguise its prejudices and propensity for falsification. 

Pathaan is in fact a far cry from Yash Raj Films' previous spy drama War, which was also directed by Siddharth Anand. Pathaan is neither jingoistic nor does it direct all its ire at one nation. It does open with a Pakistani general plotting a reprisal against India on the day of the revocation of Article 370, but the villain of the film is not a hate-spewing mullah but a venomous RAW agent gone rogue.
Although the badman's reasons are palpably faulty, he contributes his mite to the discourse that Pathaan engages in. A mercenary who works on behalf of terrorists no matter of what hue they are, he says he does not believe in the notion of a nation and borders do not matter to him. Nations and borders are created by the powerful to lull people into submission, he thunders, implying that he has broken the shackles in order to make a point.  

Jim (John Abraham), whose first appearance on the screen triggers a violent confrontation with a hero who grew up in an orphanage and owes a debt of gratitude to an Afghan family that saved him after a secret mission left him severely wounded.

When asked by Dr. Rubina Mohsin (Deepika Padukone) if he is a Mussalman (this is the only time in the film that anybody's religious identity is broached), the male protagonist reveals that he does not know who his parents were.  The nation assumed the form of a mother and sustained me, so I decided to serve the nation the way I would have served my mother if I had one, he asserts with just a hint of emotion.
He isn't a steely hero who is beyond injury and pain. He needs a painkiller when violent adversaries inflict wounds on his body. The medicine is offered to him by another member of the YRF Spy Universe in the course of a fight sequence staged in a hurtling train somewhere in Russia.

With Shah Rukh Khan joining Tiger (Salman Khan) and Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) to complete a trio of invincible YRF spies, expect a lot of big-screen explosions, extremes and extravagances in the coming years. But it is doubtful if anything would be as big, ballsy or unalloyed as Pathaan. It comes closer to what mass-oriented Hindi cinema once used to be than any other recent star vehicle has done. 

Pathaan swings and strikes with all the style and aplomb in the world. It will be a hard act to follow. 

Pathaan (2023)

Pathaan (2023)

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