Pathaan movie review: Shah Rukh Khan the superstar is back to revive Bollywood in his massiest, paisa vasool entertainer

Pathaan

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Dimple Kapadia, and Ashutosh Rana

Director: Siddharth Anand

Where to watch: Theatres

Rating: 3.5 stars

The hype is worth it. The wait – four-and-a-half years of it – was worth it. And braving the winter chills to catch the first day first show was totally worth it. Pathaan is the kind of blockbuster Bollywood has been waiting for amidst its post-pandemic gloom. Eulogies have been given, tombstones erected and Bollywood has been declared dead but Pathaan revives it. And quite fittingly, it is all done on the shoulders of the man who defined superstardom for two decades – Shah Rukh Khan. In his comeback film, the man reminds the audiences why he was called king and sends a message to one and all: ‘superstardom zinda hai!’

Pathaan is the stoy of the titular RAW agent (Shah Rukh), who is returning to action after years in exile. A bit meta and on the nose but it fits. He has been brought back to stop his old nemesis Jim (John Abraham back as a memorable villain). He teams up with the unpredictable Pakistani agent Rubina aka Rubai (Deepika Padukone) to avert a deadly terror threat to India. The plot is straightforward and at times even predictable. But Pathaan was never meant to have the audience use their grey matter. It is an out-and-out entertainer that is supposed to make you scream, whistle, clap, and even dance. It’s a throwback to the masala entertainers most of us grew up on. And it delivers in style too.

Pathaan differs from many other recent masala actioners in that its hero is not all-powerful. He is not KGF’s Rocky or War’s Kabir or Tiger who can beat 50 goons all by himself. He is vulnerable but he uses his knowledge of weapons, martial arts and wits to win. When pitted against the much-larger, more-powerful Jim, Pathaan gets overpowered, even almost beaten. But like a hero, he finds a way. That vulnerability means he is under threat, which makes Pathaan a better watch than many other films where the hero is an unstoppable force.

The highlight of the film is the crackling chemistry of the leads. No, I am not talking about Shah Rukh and Deepika. It’s the scenes with John Abraham and Shah Rukh that take the cake. As two spies and warriors on the opposite side of battle, they show animosity, respect, and hatred for each other in a beautiful blend that makes you applaud them. Deepika is a wonderful foil in a role that is much more than just the damsel in distress. She fights, kicks butt, and even outwits the bad guys. Her ambiguity – is she good, is she bad – is good to watch and the actress brings out that devillish unpredictability well.

And yes, it all boils down to Shah Rukh Khan’s charm. The actor reminds the audience why he was a superstar. A generation of moviegoers watched him rule the screen. And then another generation watched him flounder and fumble in the Zeros and the Fans of Bollywood. Many younger audiences wondered why this man is such a huge star. They hadn’t seen his magic on the big screen. Shah Rukh is back with that magic and how. He is an action hero this time. I will admit I was sceptical if he would be able to pull that off but Pathaan is a role perfect for him. It may just give us Shah Rukh 2.0 that we have all been waiting for. And the cameo, yes, the one everyone has been talking about is a cherry on top. That is another scene where the chemistry of the two superstars shines.

The background music, particularly the theme used for John Abraham, will evoke some whistles in the theatre. The action is top notch even though some of the scenes do feel a bit over-the-top and unbelievable. But if it works for Baahubali and KGF, no need to deride the same in Pathaan. Hollywood has done sequences of this scale before but with greater finesse. Pathaan is a good next step after War to internationalise Indian action films.

The performances are nothing to write home about, to be honest. But they are good enough for this genre. Shah Rukh Khan finally makes a good action hero after several misses in a long career. John Abraham evokes Dhoom memories. His Jim is a good, strong villain whom he makes better with his presence. Deepika Padukone looks great and acts well too. It is a part that allows her to show both strength and vulnerability and she sails through the film. Ashutosh Rana and Dimple Kapadia add the much needed gravitas though both of them will agree it’s probably not their best work.

All this does not mean the film does not have its faults. The plot is thin and there are some loopholes as well. The characters are stereotypical and at times, the emotional scenes do not have the kind of weight they should. Shah Rukh is earnest and Deepika tries but the direction falters in some of the tender moments. But Pathaan’s target audience does not mind that. It is a formula that has seen War, Dabangg, Tiger, and Singham succeed. Pathaan takes that formula a notch higher. The film is paisa vasool in every way. A masala entertainer that Bollywood has perfected over decades and served just perfectly. Go watch it if you want to be entertained!

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