Pathaan: Fast, Furious, and Worth the Wait

Plot

Pathaan is the first chapter of India's indigenous spy-verse, led by the trio of Tiger, Kabir, and now Pathaan. The plot follows Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan), an ex-army man turned undercover agent, tasked with stopping Jim (John Abraham), a rogue agent seeking vengeance against India after the revocation of Article 370 triggers Pakistan's sinister designs on Kashmir. Along the way, Pathaan encounters Rubaiya Mohsin (Deepika Padukone), a Pakistani ISI agent with ambiguous motives and a backstory that exposes her true intents, leading to a twist before the intermission.

Acting

Shah Rukh Khan's weathered intensity, grizzly charisma, and trademark wit lend Pathaan's action-packed antics a sense of purpose that evades mindless acts of mayhem. He shows that he's still the undisputed King, playing the role of an action hero to perfection, despite being most loved in romantic or conversational roles. John Abraham's portrayal of Jim is solid, making a classic case of the villain overshadowing the hero. Deepika Padukone's performance shines through as the dutiful, double-crossing, and morally ambiguous agent, perfectly cast for the role.

Cinematography

Director Siddharth Anand presents Pathaan more like a superhero film that needs massive suspension of disbelief. His fascination and fanboy worship of mainstream Hollywood blockbusters are evident, showing Falcon-like wingsuits, exaggerated action and chase sequences, and death and gravity-defying stunts on various modes of transport. Pathaan hops continents, indulging in a dangerous game of betrayal and revenge, and the film looks sexy and sensory.

Direction

Siddharth Anand is best known for glamorizing his stars and presenting them in lavish set pieces inspired by Hollywood films. In Pathaan, he presents a direct tribute to iconic Hollywood action-thriller films, with action scenes and smart dialogues, far-fetched writing, and high on star power and style. Anand's direction is responsible for making Pathaan an ambitious action-thriller that plays to the gallery and lives up to the hype, despite its occasionally frivolous dialogues.

Verdict

Pathaan is worth the wait, and Shah Rukh Khan's return to the big screen is an event film of sorts. It is a perfect addition to YRF's spy universe, fast, furious, and about missions that are impossible, much like Hollywood's Mission Impossible franchise. Pathaan's highlight is that it discovers an unlikely action hero in Shah Rukh Khan and contributes significantly to the franchise's slickness and smarts. If you're willing to overlook its often frivolous dialogues, Pathaan has all the ingredients of a masala potboiler - a slowmo entry, the battle of good versus evil, and most importantly, a sexy-smouldering Shah Rukh Khan who can fight the good fight on and off the screen.

Share this review