- Deepika Padukone’s outfits to John Abraham’s chiselled muscles to Shah Rukh Khan’s CGI-enhanced six-pack abs.
- Pradha Pathaan is worth the wait and all the hype.
- Director Sidharth Anand once again presents his characters in the most glammed-up avatars.
Pathaan is quick, furious, and about difficult missions. Pathaan is worth the wait and all the excitement because it brings Shah Rukh Khan, who is perhaps the final superstar of our generation, back to the big screen in a full-fledged role after four years. The nicest thing is that the man is introduced to us right away in all of his splendour. Within the first ten minutes of the movie, ‘Zinda Hai,’ as Pathaan claims in the trailer, is encircled by armed, bloodthirsty warriors. The movie is the ideal addition to this grandiose spy world, which has already featured Hrithik Roshan’s Kabir and Tiger starring Salman Khan. Having previously directed the action films Bang Bang and War, director Sidharth Anand once more introduces his characters.
The glitziest avatars, providing you with sufficient drool-worthy moments. Even if you don’t delve too deeply for a meaningful tale or logic, Pathaan has too much to offer, from Deepika Padukone’s clothes to John Abraham’s chiselled physique to Shah Rukh Khan’s CGI-enhanced six-pack abs.
It centres on Pathaan (Khan), a former soldier who has become an undercover agent and is discovered while on a mission. He is now back to defend his nation against Jim (Abraham), a former R&AW agent who went rogue after being wronged by his own people. The movie provides compelling back tales for each of its characters. Rubia (Padukone), a former ISI operative, joins the assignment and has her allegiances called into doubt on multiple occasions. That’s about it, then. With a lot of in-your-face action and jumping from one lovely place to another with views that occasionally detract from the actual action unfolding in front of you, the whys and hows are eventually revealed.
On top of a train, Khan performed Chaiyya Chaiya, but Pathaan gives you much more. He is engaged in combat while perched atop a Hummer, before jumping into a truck while suspended in midair on a line connected to two helicopters. In Pathaan, men primarily soar during the most intense action scenes, with virtually little action taking place on the ground. Additionally, you really don’t need much else to raise your excitement levels when Khan and Abraham are engaged in combat on the big screen. And certainly, the train is still remembered. When Pathaan encounters Tiger (Salman Khan), the movie’s climax—and possibly its best moment—involves a complex action scene.after that atop a moving train. Loud shouting, hooting, screaming, and whistling could be heard throughout this moment, making it difficult to concentrate on what was being shown on the screen. With two celebrities in one frame dressed to the nines, it was nothing less than a celebration of pure stardom.
Despite its length of 146 minutes, Pathaan feels a little stretched out in the second half when you’re eager to reach the finale. The writing isn’t strong enough to make a lasting impression, although there are a few dialogues that are funny or sound overly serious. Pathaan is packed with action, but it’s best if you don’t try to understand the reason behind the seemingly impossible lifts and drops because there is none. They are a spectacle that effortlessly draws you in and is a visual feast. It occasionally becomes a little too fanciful. but when filmmakers attempt to produce a movie on the magnitude of a Hollywood action movie, that is what they get. The action is excellent, but some of the visual effects felt underwhelming, and in certain scenes, you could clearly see the green chroma screen. The non-linear storyline and screenplay by Shridhar Raghavan also contributed to my confusion for the majority of the first half. After a while, it just became too chaotic with how quickly it jumped from one timeframe and one continent to another. The pre-interval block is when the picture starts to come together.
It might have taken over three decades to get to play an out-and-out action hero, but it’s never too late to pack a punch. He’s charming, gritty and lets his eyes do most of the talking. The wit he brings on screen is straight out of his #AskSRK sessions and even in the most intense and deadly scenes, Khan makes you smile with his comic punchlines said with a straight face. Padukone in her hot and sultry avatar amps up the glam quotient so effortlessly. She gets her own share to perform and shine despite the men taking a major share of screen time. With the kind of finesse she brings in action sequences, her own, fleshed-out action flick won’t be too much to ask for. Abraham makes you love him as a brooding baddie. Forget the muscles, for you can’t take your eyes off his swelling veins through his tattooed arms. Adding gravitas to the story, Ashutosh Rana and Dimple Kapadia lend an able support to the cast and have their own lighter moments to shine.
Pathaan is your true-blue commercial, masala entertainer that’s not trying to send across any message or be a social commentary on the current state of affairs in the country. It’s fun, non-fussy and fantastic at the same time. Go watch it for Shah Rukh Khan and you would only come back with a smile, and maybe grooving a bit. Don’t miss the scene just before end credits for it’s not everyday you see two superstars in a banter about their stardom.
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