Item: Pathaan
Rating: 3.5
Author: Himesh Mankad

Plot:

Jim (John Abraham) is planning an attack on India and the motivation to do so is neither money nor power, but something personal. The only person who can stop this attack on Indian soil is Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan) – one of R&AW’s most powerful agents. The story of the film is a cat-and-mouse chase between Jim and Pathaan, with Rubina (Deepika Padukone) bringing an added dimension of twists and turns through the narrative. What’s the motive of Jim? Will Pathaan be able to stop the attack? Who is Rubina? Watch Pathaan to know all this.

What works?

Pathaan is a tentpole event film that is perfectly packaged with the right dose of action, thrill, emotion, and drama. Director Siddharth Anand with screenplay writer, Shridhar Raghavan, ensure that the narrative is fast-paced with high points at regular intervals. Shah Rukh Khan’s introductory sequence is easily among the best in his career. He is presented as a true-blue superstar of Indian Cinema and deserves every bit of the manner in which he is projected on the screen. It’s a celebration of a man named Shah Rukh Khan. John’s character also has an interesting arc, which one might not have expected through the pre-release assets. Ditto for Deepika Padukone’s character.

The interval block also has a twist, which gives the audience a break to put their thinking caps on. The story takes a different turn in the second half to bring in the element of drama and emotion, as it gives Pathaan’s character a personal arc to rise and roar above all the odds. The action sequences in the film are the biggest that we have seen in a Hindi film to date – both in terms of vision and execution. Right from the introduction block of SRK to the fight scene in Spain, the pre-interval block in Russia, the chase sequence on the ice, and the climax – it’s all a delight to watch on the big screen. YRF ensures that the production values are top notch with no compromises made in any aspect to mount the film at a certain level.

Talking of Salman Khan’s cameo as Tiger, every minute he is on the screen warrants a hooting from the audience. The camaraderie shared by the two mighty Khans through the prolonged action sequence just tells us why they are two of the greatest superstars of Indian Cinema. The union of Pathaan and Tiger is worth all the hype. The easter egg to Karan Arjun is a masterstroke and sure to get the loudest cheer. The introductory scene of every key character – SRK, Deepika, John, and Salman – has been done with perfection. The music, especially Besharam Rang, is a chartbuster with spectacular choreography.

Shah Rukh Khan in Pathaan

What doesn’t work?

Pathaan is a typical Siddharth Anand film and hence, follows the template of a typical spy film. Instead of focusing on a singular mission, the conflict keeps shifting at regular intervals without a proper closure in some cases, which is a minor drawback. The sequences that indicate an underlying element of romance between SRK and Deepika lead to a dip in the pace and divert from the core plot. The dialogues by Abbas Tyrewala could have been slightly better, and the same can be said for the VFX too, which is a little dodgy at some instances, especially the aerial sequences. But yet, full marks to the direction team for their ambition and dreaming big to put out an action film that can actually compete with the ones made in the West.

Performances:

Pathaan belongs to a man named Shah Rukh Khan. It took him 32 years to do an out-and-out action film of this scale and he aces the character from the word go. The way he laughs the way he beats up the antagonists, to his own charismatic way of winning over the people around – it’s SRK show all the way. John Abraham is the surprise package of the film and his character arc gives him the opportunity to display varied shades of emotions. He is fantastic as Jim and this performance is among the most memorable, taking us back to the days of Dhoom. Deepika Padukone as Rubina gets a character that shifts gears at regular intervals to build intrigue in the plot. Seldom has a female protagonist got the chance to do so much action in a feature film, and Deepika is here to make a statement that if given the opportunity, she can pull off some serious kicks and punches. The future of the spy universe with female protagonists is in safe hands with Deepika and of course, Katrina Kaif (Zoya).

Dimple Kapadia leave an impact with her character of JOCR chief whereas Ashutosh Rana takes from where it all ended in War. Salman Khan is outstanding in his cameo as Tiger, and the appearance raises anticipation for Tiger 3. The rest of the ensemble do well in their respective roles.

Final Verdict

Pathaan has all the ingredients that are needed in a Hindi Film to emerge as a BLOCKBUSTER. It has action, scale, emotion, and music alongside the presence of Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is presented as a larger-than-life Superstar in a feature film after a while. Pathaan is ready to set the box office on fire and is also on a mission to create new records not just on the opening front but also in the long run. It’s a BONDAFIDE BLOCKBUSTER in the making and also sets up the YRF Spy Universe in a big way with Tiger, Kabir, and Pathaan!