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‘Pathaan’ Review: A Bollywood Espionage Action Spectacular So Fast and Furious — and Chaotic and Derivative — It Makes ‘RRR’ Look Classical

It's James Bond meets Jason Bourne meets Jason Statham meets Fabio in an overwrought epic.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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“ Pathaan ,” the new Bollywood espionage action spectacular, opened wide this past weekend in the U.S., where it amassed an impressive tally of $9.5 million. That’s exactly what “RRR” made on its opening weekend in the U.S. close to a year ago — though, of course, that was before “RRR” went on to become a crossover cultural phenomenon, with a visibility and acclaim in the American media that Indian films seldom, if ever, attain.

For decades, Bollywood movies, at least when they were released here, had an undeniable exoticism. They often repackaged Hollywood forms, most notably the musical, but with their own rhythm and flavor and spice. Baz Luhrmann drew upon the rapture of Bollywood when he made “Moulin Rouge!,” and films like “Lagaan” (2001), a transporting three-hour-and-45-minute class-war operetta about a cricket match (it was the last Indian film before “RRR” to be nominated for an Academy Award), and “Dangal” (2016), a wrestling epic rooted in the rising mores of girl power, had inspirational plots that staked out their own nationalistic identity.

The characters in “Pathaan” often speak like movie posters (“Be rich. Be powerful. Or be a corpse”). They’re photographed like model-gods, and though “Pathaan” isn’t a musical, the music that plays during the action sequences is an overwhelming constant — that EDM Bollywood throb, revving even routine battles to a maximum rush. Khan, who suggests a sleeker, more ripped Adam Driver in a man-bun, plays the title character, a veteran RAW agent who’s gone undercover and been left for dead, though he shows up in an early scene, bloody and battered, tied to a torturer’s chair. He then frees himself and defeats his captors in the first of what must be the film’s two dozen whirling, crunching, gravity-defying fight scenes. This is the sort of movie in which even Pathaan walking in slo-mo slipping on his aviator sunglasses counts as an action moment.

His mission is to stop Jim (Abraham), an agent who has gone rogue and leads Outfit X, an international terror organization that commits atrocities for profit. I wouldn’t even try to describe the plot of “Pathaan,” which zigs and zags all over the globe, and all over the place, in a way that defies logic. The film’s only real logic is its pop fetishization of power (bullet power, fire power, 12-pack-ab power), along with its enthusiastic mutating of genres — now it’s a heist movie, now it’s a human-superhero-with-machine-wings movie, now it’s a contagion thriller with Jim threatening to unleash the power of Raktjeeb, a killer virus that makes COVID look like the common cold. What’s in it for Jim? From what we can tell, the sheer megalomaniacal pleasure of it all.

This may sound like a recipe for fun, but “Pathaan” has a stop-and-go rhythm, and a strung-together structure, that grows wearying. (Two-and-a-half hours of frenetic derivative pulp is a lot of pulp.) There’s a car chase through Dubai, a motorcycle chase on ice, and a hand-to-hand fight at the climax in which Pathaan and Jim go at each other so hard that the wooden shack in which they’re fighting starts to slip down the mountain stilts it’s perched on. “RRR” was no model of restraint (and some critics salivated over its overwrought fairy-tale technological bravura in a way that felt vaguely patronizing), but it was a work of high classical precision next to “Pathaan.” Yet I must say I’m glad that Indian films are finding a home here. Here’s hoping, as in the old days, that they bring a new spirit to our cinemas, rather than just blending in with what we’re already doing.           

Reviewed at AMC Empire, Jan. 30, 2023. Running time: 146 MIN.

• Production: A Yash Raj Films USA Inc. release of a Yash Raj Films, Etalon Films production. Producer: Aditya Chopra.
• Crew: Director: Siddharth Anand. Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan, Abbas Tyrewala. Camera: Satchith Paulose. Editor: Aarif Sheikh. Music: Ankit Balhara, Sanchit Balhara, Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani.
• With: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Dimple Kapadia, Ashutosh Rana, Salman Khan.

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‘Pathaan’ Review: Fighting the Good (and Long) Fight

Filled to the brim with action set pieces, “Pathaan” stars Shah Rukh Khan as a secret agent saving India from havoc unleashed by a vengeful former operative.

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By Nicolas Rapold

The all-out action movie of the sort honed by Hollywood is not as prevalent in Bollywood. But “Pathaan,” a record-setting addition to a series of spy adventures, rolls out a flaming dessert cart of chugging guns, midair melees and ceaseless showdowns.

Shah Rukh Khan stars as an affable Indian government agent, Pathaan, who’s pursuing a vengeful former agent named — somewhat less than diabolically — Jim (John Abraham). Jim’s been hired by a rogue Pakistani general to sow havoc in India because of a dispute over Kashmir. He turned smirkingly nihilistic after India once refused to pay ransom for him and his (now dead) pregnant wife.

Plotting or politics is an afterthought in this delivery system for action on planes, trains and automobiles, in Dubai, Moscow, Paris, the Spanish coast and apparently the Italian Dolomites. The director, Siddharth Anand (“War”), opens big with Pathaan’s breakout from detainment, swiveling the camera to follow kicks and sending a helicopter aloft indoors.

Other setups have the same top-this sense of fun. Anand’s crew boasts the stunt coordinator of “Top Gun: Maverick,” Casey O’Neill, and the “Mad Max: Fury Road” stunt performer Craig Macrae. But the director doesn’t have the greatest feel for tempo, or a consistent flair for staging. A monotonous fight on a train is only redeemed by a Looney Tunes escape from derailment.

Lending welcome panache is Deepika Padukone as another deadly operative, Rubina, who may prove helpful to Pathaan. The sweet rapport between Padukone and Khan loosens up the film’s endless fracas, and it’s the spark for, yes, a song. When Pathaan spots Rubina poolside in Spain, she launches a joyful crowded bump-and-grind number. (“The moment I feel a wave of modesty, I throw it to the wind!”)

As a villain, Jim’s a bit of a cold bath, and not just because he starts video-calling in threats of biological warfare. “Pathaan” is in some ways a save-the-world superhero movie without suits, and while less self-serious, the hefty length can lag. More is not always better — though the gusto of Padukone speedskating to the rescue at one point goes a long way.

Pathaan Not rated. In Hindi, with subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 26 minutes. In theaters.

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Pathaan Review: Shah Rukh Khan Doesn't Miss A Trick In Phenomenally Entertaining Spy Thriller

Pathaan review: deepika padukone pulls off the dual act of an irrepressible femme fatale and a committed soldier with elan..

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham

Director: Siddharth Anand

Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

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. 

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

Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham

Siddharth Anand

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Pathaan Movie Review : An entertaining globetrotting spy thriller that’s massy, messy and outlandish

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Pathaan movie review: Shah Rukh Khan, and Bollywood, are back with this patriotic spy thriller

Pathaan movie review: shah rukh khan and deepika padukone-starrer has finally got what’s needed in a spy thriller -- non-stop action, glamorous leads, the guy who can save the world, a high-octane set piece, and an emo line at a time..

First things first, Bollywood is back. Shah Rukh Khan is back. Hindi movies have been constructing the ‘desi’ equivalents of the Bond-Bourne franchise for a while now. Tiger has been ‘zinda’ in a pacy double-bill, 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 cracked the requirements of 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 (Ashutosh Rana), 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. There’s some amount of roll-your-eyes silliness, par for the course for this kind of flick. 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 gathered up 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. It’s notable how the star doesn’t go down the Rahul/Raj route which would have been safer in these times. He’s out, loud and proud, claiming his roots, as well as his professional identity built up assiduously over a good thirty years. To that end, writers Sridhar Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala come up with lines in service of both the real and real character : meta, and fun.

‘Pathaan’ is that sateek jawaab of this beleaguered pathaan, who manages multiple feats in his come-back 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.

Pathaan movie cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Dimple Kapadia, Ashutosh Rana Pathaan movie director: Siddharth Anand Pathaan movie review: 3 stars

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‘Pathaan’: Review

By Namrata Joshi 2023-01-25T15:02:00+00:00

Bollywood emerges victorious from a troubled time with Shah Rukh Khan returning to the big screen as a Bond-like action hero

Source: Yashraj Films

Dir: Siddharth Anand. India. 2023. 146mins

Much like its three predecessors in the YRF Spy Universe series of action thrillers — EK The Tiger (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and War (2019) — Pathaan pivots on a wafer-thin plot; this time involving an exiled intelligence agent returning to take on a terrorist organisation. It’s a chaotic, protracted, wild ride that takes the audience across global locations and through past and present, but the amped up scale, imagination and audacity, the spectacular action set-pieces, clever writing and in-your-face charisma of its stars including Shah Rukh Khan in a long-awaited return to the big screen make it, in Indian parlance,  paisa vasool -  a film well worth the price of admission. And that will come as a relief to an embattled Bollywood.

Star Shah Rukh Khan, otherwise known for his romantic persona, shows off his bare chest and rippling muscles and, in the process, scorches the screen as a full-blown action hero.

A lot is at stake when it comes to Pathaan , produced — like the previous titles in the series — by leading production house Yashraj Films. The Hindi film industry has struggled over the last few years, with big budget films failing to make a mark at the box office and political baiting by conservative fringe groups. As the reportedly $30m-plus  Pathaan opens worldwide (with both Hindi and Tamil and Telugu versions screening within India) hopes are high for its prospects, although success will largely rely on audiences turning up on India’s Republic Day holiday and the following long weekend. It’s Shah Rukh Khan’s first major role since Aanand L. Rai’s Zero in 2018, and that should help. Plus, there have already been multiple controversies to keep it in the public eye, including the colour of a bikini worn by SRK’s co-star Deepika Padukone.

In keeping with the occasion of the release, Pathaan sports a suitably patriotic heart with the Indian tricolour fluttering in some scenes and the salutation of Jai Hind  (“Victory to India”) punctuating a few conversations. The film is also very much in line with the unbridled masculine narratives currently dominating Indian mainstream cinema: SRK may be best known for his romantic on-screen persona but he falls in line here, showing off his bare chest and rippling muscles and, in the process, scorching the screen as a full-blown action hero.

He plays exiled intelligence agent Pathaan, brought back on duty to take on rogue agent Jim (John Abraham) who is running a private terrorist enterprise called Outfit X and is armed with a biological weapon of mass destruction, a virus called Raktbeej (a reference to a demon in Hindu mythology who supposedly self-perpetuates with every drop of his blood that falls on the ground). 

But while there’s plenty that puts Pathaan in the league of James Bond movies — including excellent action sequences, stunning global locales (UAE, Turkey, Russia, Siberia, Italy, France, Afghanistan and Siberia) and Deepika Padukone’s novice Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agent Rubina Mohsin — Pathaan himself isn’t simply smart and suave. He cries, he gives into love and cracks silly jokes about getting his long hair shampooed at the hairdressers. The robbery of a Moscow vault is punctuated, for example, with a silly but satisfying reference to SRK’s psychopath act in the popular film Darr (1993).

Pathaan plays safe with its stance — or the lack of it — on the contentious issue of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Yet its nationalistic spirit comes underlined with grace and dignity. Pathaan’s adversary might be from Pakistan but the film underscores that a few bad men don’t embody an entire nation. An orphan left behind by his parents in a cinema hall, Pathaan finds a proxy family on one of his missions in Afghanistan. His heart is Indian, but he belongs to the world — a welcome return to the simplistic but humanistic nationalism of Hindi cinema.

Most enjoyable, however, are the meta moments on the plight of Bollywood and the trinity of Khans: SRK, Salman and Aamir. There is, for instance, an extended reference to the Japanese art of kintsugi — fixing broken pieces of pottery with gold to create an even more beautiful and precious work of art. In the film, it is used to discuss bringing together injured, unwell and retired agents to form a new unit called Joint Operations and Covert Research. Yet it could also be a reference to Bollywood itself; a hope that it may come out stronger and more resilient after its ongoing trial by fire. After a long time, Shah Rukh Khan has given Bollywood a reason to smile.

Production company: Yashraj Films 

Distribution: Yashraj Films [email protected]

Producer: Aditya Chopra

Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan, from a story by Siddharth Anand and dialogue by Abbas Tyrewala 

Cinematography: Satchith Paulose

Production Design: Rajat Poddar

Editing: Aarif Sheikh

Music: Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani, Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara, 

Main cast: Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Dimple Kapadia, Ashutosh Rana

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'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.

Pathaan Movie Review: An entertaining globetrotting spy thriller that’s massy, messy and outlandish

• Times of India

In-depth Analysis

Our overall critic’s rating is not an average of the sub scores below.

Pathaan - Official Trailer

Pathaan - Official Teaser

Pathaan - Official Tamil Teaser

Pathaan - Official Telugu Teaser

Pathaan - Official Tamil Trailer

Pathaan - Motion Poster

Pathaan | Song - Jhoome Jo Pathaan

Pathaan | Song - Besharam Rang

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Maralakunte Rawe 24 102 days ago

Tina tina 212 days ago.

love srk Pathaan ❤️❤️��������

User 59 244 days ago

Baap ka movie ke samne koi nahi tikta, Jay baadshah Jay pathaan ������

bardhanjeet 1 253 days ago

Super hit ����

Chandan Kumar 1 277 days ago

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• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor. Share
• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor.
• This is the second time Arjun Kapoor is playing a double role, the first being Aurangzeb (2013).
• The song ‘Yamma yamma’ from ‘Shaan’ is sampled in the song ‘Partywali Night' for the film.

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సమీక్ష : పఠాన్ – ఇంప్రెస్ చేసే యాక్షన్ థ్రిల్లర్

విడుదల తేదీ : జనవరి 25, 2023

123తెలుగు.కామ్ రేటింగ్ : 3.25/5

నటీనటులు: షారుఖ్ ఖాన్, దీపికా పదుకోన్, జాన్ అబ్రహం, అశుతోష్ రానా, డింపుల్ కపాడియా తదితరులతో పాటు అతిథి పాత్రలో సల్మాన్ ఖాన్

దర్శకుడు : సిద్ధార్థ్ ఆనంద్

నిర్మాతలు: ఆదిత్య చోప్రా

సంగీత దర్శకులు: సంచిత్ బల్హారా, అకింత్ బల్హారా

సినిమాటోగ్రఫీ: సంచిత్ పౌలోస్

ఎడిటర్: ఆరిఫ్ షేక్

సంబంధిత లింక్స్ : ట్రైలర్

సిద్ధార్థ్ ఆనంద్ దర్శత్వంలో కింగ్ ఖాన్ షారుఖ్ ఖాన్ హీరోగా వచ్చిన కొత్త సినిమా పఠాన్. కాగా ఈ రోజు రిలీజ్ అయిన ఈ భారీ చిత్రం ఎలా ఉందో సమీక్షలోకి వెళ్లి చూద్దాం.

భారత ప్రభుత్వం ఆర్టికల్ 370 రద్దు చేయడంతో పాకిస్తాన్ కల్నల్ ఇండియా మీద ఓ అటాక్ ప్లాన్ చేస్తాడు. దాని కోసం ప్రైవేట్ ఎజెంట్ అయిన జిమ్ (జాన్ అబ్రహం) తో ఒప్పందం కుదుర్చుకుంటాడు. దాంతో భారత్ పై బయో వార్ ప్లాన్ చేస్తాడు జిమ్. అయితే ఆ ప్లాన్ అడ్డుకునేందుకు పఠాన్‌ (షారుఖ్ ఖాన్‌) రంగంలోకి దిగుతాడు. అసలు జిమ్ చేసిన రక్త భీజ్‌ ప్లాన్ ఏమిటి ?, ఈ మధ్యలో పాకిస్తాన్ ఐఎస్ఐ ఏజెంట్ రూబై (దీపికా పదుకోన్) పాత్ర ఏమిటి ?, అసలు ఆమెకు పఠాన్ కి మధ్య ఏం జరిగింది ? చివరకు ‘పఠాన్’ జిమ్ ను ఎలా అంతం చేశాడు ? అనేది మిగిలిన కథ.

ప్లస్ పాయింట్స్ :

షారుఖ్ ఖాన్ వన్ మ్యాన్ షోతో నడిచిన ఈ సినిమాలో.. పఠాన్ పాత్రలో షారుఖ్ ఖాన్ అద్భుతంగా నటించాడు. ముఖ్యంగా తన యాక్షన్ బాడీ లాంగ్వేజ్ తో అలాగే, కొన్ని యాక్షన్ అండ్ ఎమోషనల్ సీక్వెన్స్ స్ లో షారుఖ్ ఖాన్ నటన సినిమాకే హైలైట్ గా నిలిచింది. అలాగే ట్రైన్ ఎపిసోడ్ లో గెస్ట్ గా మెరిసిన సల్మాన్ ఖాన్ ఈ సినిమాకి ప్రతేక ఆకర్షణగా నిలిచాడు.

ఇక హీరోయిన్ గా నటించిన దీపికా పదుకోన్ కూడా తన బోల్డ్ లుక్స్ తో అందంగా కనిపిస్తూ ఆకట్టుకుంది. ముఖ్యంగా బికినీ సాంగ్ లో ఆమె గ్లామర్ యూత్ ను బాగా ఆకట్టుకుంది. విలన్ పాత్రలో నటించిన జాన్ అబ్రహంకి పెద్దగా నటించే స్కోప్ లేదు. అయితే ఉన్నంతలో అతను బాగానే నటించాడు. ఇక మిగిలిన కీలక పాత్రల్లో నటించిన అశుతోష్ రానా, డింపుల్ కపాడియా బాగానే నటించారు.

ఈ సినిమాలో డింపుల్ కపాడియాకి మంచి క్యారెక్టర్ దొరికింది. అలాగే మిగిలిన నటీనటులు కూడా తమ పాత్ర పరిధి మేరకు బాగా నటించారు. దర్శకుడు సిద్ధార్థ్ ఆనంద్ తీసుకున్న స్టోరీ లైన్, రాసుకున్న కొన్ని సస్పెన్స్ సీక్వెన్సెస్ బాగున్నాయి. ముఖ్యంగా ఫస్ట్ హాఫ్ లోని చాలా సీన్స్, మరియు సెకెండ్ హాఫ్ లో వచ్చే కొన్ని యాక్షన్ సీన్స్ ఆకట్టుకున్నాయి.

మైనస్ పాయింట్స్ :

పఠాన్ కథలో డెప్త్ ఉన్నా.. కొన్ని సీన్స్ కన్ ఫ్యూజ్డ్ గా సాగాయి. పైగా మెయిన్ ప్లాట్ లోని మెయిన్ క్యారెక్టర్స్ మధ్య ప్రధాన కాన్ ఫ్లిక్ట్ ను ఇంకా బాగా ఎస్టాబ్లిష్ చేయాల్సింది. అలాగే హీరో పాత్రలోని ఎమోషన్ కూడా ఇన్ వాల్వ్ అయ్యేలా లేదు. అలాగే కొన్ని ఇన్సిడెంట్స్ మరీ సినిమాటిక్ గా అనిపిస్తాయి. అలాగే సెకండ్ హాఫ్ లో కొన్ని సన్నివేశాలు కూడా అంతగా ఆకట్టుకోవు. పైగా జిమ్ పాత్ర పాయింట్ ఆఫ్ వ్యూ, అలాగే జిమ్ మోటివ్ ను కూడా ఇంకా బాగా రాసుకుని ఉండాల్సింది.

దీనికితోడు సినిమాలో సెకండ్ హాఫ్ లో ఇంట్రెస్టింగ్ ప్లే ను బిల్డ్ చేయలేకపోయారు. పైగా కొన్ని సీన్స్ లో నాటకీయత ఎక్కువడంతో ఆ సీన్స్ లో సహజత్వం లోపించింది. అయితే, దర్శకుడు సెకెండాఫ్ ని థ్రిల్లింగ్ ఎలిమెంట్స్ తో ఇంట్రస్ట్ గా నడుపుదామని మంచి ప్రయత్నం అయితే చేశారు గాని, ఓవరాల్ కొన్ని చోట్ల లాజిక్స్ వదిలేశారు.

సాంకేతిక విభాగం :

టెక్నికల్ గా చూసుకుంటే సినిమాలో సాంకేతిక విభాగం వర్క్ బాగానే ఉంది. సంగీతం సినిమాకు ప్లస్ అయ్యింది. అదే విధంగా సినిమాటోగ్రఫీ సినిమాకే హైలెట్ గా నిలుస్తోంది. కొన్ని కీలక సన్నివేశాల్లో కెమెరామెన్ పనితనం చాలా బాగుంది. సినిమాలోని నిర్మాత పాటించిన ప్రొడక్షన్ వాల్యూస్ బాగున్నాయి. అయితే దర్శకుడు సిద్ధార్థ్ ఆనంద్ అందరికీ అర్థం అయ్యేలా, అదే విధంగా ఆకట్టుకునేలా ఉత్కంఠభరితమైన కథనాన్ని రాసుకుని ఉండి ఉంటే ఇంకా బాగుండేది.

భారీ పెర్ఫెక్ట్ యాక్షన్ ఎంటర్ టైనర్ గా వచ్చిన ఈ పఠాన్ బాగానే ఆకట్టుకుంది. భారీ యాక్షన్ తో పాటు బోల్డ్ ఎలిమెంట్స్, సల్మాన్ ఎంట్రీ సీన్, మరియు ఇంటర్వెల్ అండ్ క్లైమాక్స్ చాలా బాగున్నాయి. అయితే, కొన్ని సీన్స్ కన్ ఫ్యూజ్డ్ గా సాగడం, స్క్రీన్ ప్లేలో కొన్ని చోట్ల ఇంట్రెస్ట్ మిస్ అవ్వడం వంటి అంశాలు సినిమాకి మైనస్ అయ్యాయి. కాకపోతే, సినిమాలో షారుఖ్ ఖాన్ నటన అద్భుతంగా ఉంది. ఓవరాల్ గా ఈ చిత్రం షారుఖ్ ఫ్యాన్స్ కి బాగా కనెక్ట్ అవుతుంది. యాక్షన్ ఫీస్ట్ లా అనిపిస్తోంది.

123telugu.com Rating: 3.25/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For English Review

సంబంధిత సమాచారం

మురుగదాస్, సల్మాన్ చిత్రానికి పవర్ఫుల్ టైటిల్ రివీల్ చేసిన మేకర్స్, మొదటి షో వివరాలు : గీతాంజలి మళ్లీ వచ్చింది, లేటెస్ట్ : పవన్ తర్వాత రామ్ చరణ్ కి ఈ అరుదైన గౌరవం.., ప్రభుదేవా సాంగ్ కి రాజమౌళి డాన్స్…వైరల్ అవుతోన్న రిహార్సల్స్ వీడియో, “వార్ 2”, “దేవర” తో తారక్ బిజీ బిజీ., ఓటిటి పార్ట్నర్ ని లాక్ చేసుకున్న అజయ్ దేవగన్ “మైదాన్”, వైరల్ : “జోకర్ 2” లో ఐకానిక్ షాట్.. కమల్ 23ఏళ్ళు కితమే, టాక్..”కల్కి” అవైటెడ్ క్లారిటీ ఆరోజున, ‘వార్ – 2’ : యంగ్ టైగర్ ఎన్టీఆర్ ఎంట్రీకి టైం ఫిక్స్ , తాజా వార్తలు, సమీక్ష : ‘లవ్‌ గురు’ – కొన్ని చోట్ల మెప్పించే లవ్ కామెడీ డ్రామా, కొత్త ఫోటోలు: పాయల్ రాజ్‌పుత్, ఫోటోలు: కాజల్ అగర్వాల్, కొత్త ఫోటోలు : నిహారిక, ఫోటోలు : అమేజింగ్ సోనాక్షి సిన్హా, వీక్షకులు మెచ్చిన వార్తలు.

• సూపర్ క్లిక్ : మెగాస్టార్ పవర్ స్టార్ లతో స్టార్ నటి
• సమీక్ష : “మైదాన్” – మెప్పించే స్పోర్ట్స్ డ్రామా
• ఇంట్రెస్టింగ్ గా అభిషేక్ నామా “నాగబంధం” టైటిల్ గ్లింప్స్!
• ‘ఏజెంట్’ ఓటిటి రిలీజ్ పై ప్రొడ్యూసర్ ఇంట్రెస్టింగ్ స్టేట్మెంట్
• బాలయ్య ఫ్యాన్స్ కి గుడ్ న్యూస్…అన్‌స్టాపబుల్‌ సీజన్ 4 అనౌన్స్ మెంట్!
• విజయ్ – గౌతమ్ తిన్ననూరి మూవీ లో హీరోయిన్ ఎవరంటే?
• ‘సలార్ – 2’ పై ఇంట్రెస్టింగ్ కామెంట్స్ చేసిన జగపతి బాబు
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Pathaan review – daft Shah Rukh Khan spy caper is more fun than Bond

The Bollywood megastar plays an unfeasibly ripped agent brought out of retirement to foil the fiendish terror plots of Outfit X

T his enjoyable high-octane action spy movie from India is possibly the most fun you can currently have at the cinema – for the first two hours of its running time at least. At the packed London cinema where I watched it on opening night, the crowd erupted with whoops the moment Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan appeared on screen – face battered to a pulp, gazing up through a bloody swollen half-shut eye.

The film is the latest instalment in the YRF Spy Universe : Khan is Pathaan, a James Bond-ish spy brought out of retirement to take down an international terror organisation known as Outfit X. Its leader is another former Indian spy, Jim (John Abraham), who’s gone rogue, committing atrocities for the likes of Boko Haram and Islamic State in return for cash. Now Jim has got his hands on a biological weapon of mass destruction.

The increasingly daft plot pings around the globe like a Bond or Mission: Impossible. Khan delivers a performance with perfect levels of fun, and light on Bond-ish psychological flaws, playing it instead with a wink here, a joke there. (There’s a very funny line about him going to the hairdressers to get a blow dry.) Saying that, Khan clearly takes his training seriously; he’s impossibly ripped, and his personal trainer probably deserves to share his credits and a chunk of his fee here.

The film sags a little towards the end, with a few too many implausible action sequences: characters jumping out of helicopters and fighting on top of speeding SUVs, the choreography glossing over the basics of gravity and physics. Still, the cheers kept coming: the loudest whoop of all when Salman Khan made an entrance as Tiger, a hero from an earlier movie in the series.

• Action and adventure films
• Salman Khan

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Pathaan Reviews

You will get some 50 variations from him. That's Mr. Shah Rukh Khan for you...

Full Review | Nov 10, 2023

The mass euphoria of Shah Rukh Khan’s grand comeback doesn’t change the fact that Pathaan is a bad film. As an action-thriller, it fails to deliver any thrills and is boring, relying on tired templates.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jul 26, 2023

Let’s be honest, we are watching Pathaan for the one and only Shah Rukh Khan. And, as mentioned before, the minute he appears on the screen, you feel goosebumps coursing through your body.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 23, 2023

Pathaan does not undermine our intelligence. Written by Anand (Shridhar Raghavan has furnished the screenplay and Abbas Tyrewala the dialogues), the film walks the tightrope between fitting fan service and a clever entertainer.

Full Review | Jul 20, 2023

If there's one thing you can't fault here it's the film's ambition.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 24, 2023

With Khan's irresistible charm on full display, one cannot help but overlook Pathaan's many flaws and just immerse yourself in the action.

Full Review | Feb 17, 2023

Director Siddharth Anand and his creative company conjure a globetrotting spectacle bursting with crowd-pleasing allures.

Full Review | Feb 16, 2023

There are too many dull spots in this overlong thriller to overcome.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Feb 4, 2023

This film feels like Siddharth Anand watched all of the Mission: Impossible movies and determined John Woo’s MI2 was the best but could be done even better.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Feb 2, 2023

The director doesn’t have the greatest feel for tempo, or a consistent flair for staging.

Full Review | Feb 2, 2023

Pathaan is a blast.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 1, 2023

Pathaan got Indians across the world to cheer for a Pakistani ex-ISI agent, and Pakistanis to cheer for a Bollywood superstar. Nobel Peace Prize or bust.

Full Review | Feb 1, 2023

A sprawling, mountainous tangle of pulp that stacks one genre on top of the next with an arbitrary verve.

Pathaan delivers high-octane thrills through over-the-top action sequences that would feel right at home in any Mission Impossible film. The characters are deeply developed and extremely charismatic, creating story arcs that are captivating and emotional.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jan 31, 2023

While its reach may exceed its grasp, any shortcomings of Pathaan are papered over by the sheer charisma of its lead actor [Shah Rukh Khan], who once again demonstrates why he is one of the most popular movie stars in the world.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 30, 2023

Bursting at the seams with high-caliber action and loads of panache, “Pathaan” is an off-the-charts, full-throttle Bollywood blockbuster in every sense.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 30, 2023

An amateurish Indian super-spy thriller that’s never as well-executed as it is conceptually goofy and politically dubious.

Full Review | Jan 29, 2023

A cartoonish, patriotic action saga, whose scattered pieces are heat-welded together by Khan’s blazing screen presence.

Full Review | Jan 27, 2023

Pathaan finds smart ways to play on the strengths of its star cast as well as remind viewers of how they earned their luminescence in the first place...

A tall order, but Shah Rukh Khan might be the one who can deliver...

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Pathaan Movie Review: Shah Rukh Khan Makes A Smashing Comeback With This High-Octane Spy Thriller

Bollywood's King Khan is back & how! One of the most anticipated movies of the recent times Pathaan starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham hit the theaters worldwide today(January 25,2023) and its for sure a treat for all the Bollywood buffs and especially SRK fans. With Pathaan Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan returned to silver screens after 4 years, and what a smashing comeback it is for the 58-year-old actor.

Amid much fanfare, making for a festival-like feel, the shows for Pathaan kick started as early as 6 am in many cities and netizens are going gaga over the film. Helmed by Siddharth Anand, YRF's spy universe also stars Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana in supporting cast. Salman Khan is also seen in an extended cameo in the film and is no less than a double treat for fans to watch both of them fighting villians together onscreen. The camaraderie between the two stars will just make you crave for more.

Ok so all the buzz around #Pathaan turns out to be true 🙆🏻‍♀️ this is the queue outside 7AM first day first show at PVR Saket 💫 #SRK fans you are ♥️ theatre is housefull #PathaanFirstDayFirstShow pic.twitter.com/0yz7JVt2cq — Aashu Mishra (@Aashu9) January 25, 2023

Pathaan has all the ingredients that makes it a masala entertainer- high-octane action sequences, goodvsbad, drama, a pinch of romance and off course a smouldering Shah Rukh Khan. And it will be safe to say that Bollywood is back and audience is ready to queue up at the box-office for a Hindi film.

Story: The film is a story of ex army man turned undercover agent Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan) and his arch nemesis Jim (John Abraham). The plot follows India's revocation of article 370 after which a Pakistani officer, reaches out to the evil Jim, an Ex RAW agent wronged by his own people. Jim is joined by Rubai an ex ISI agent (Deepika Padukone) who has her own motives. Pathaan, Jim and Rubina indulge in a dangerous game of betrayal and revenge and the typical good vs bad is the story of the film.

Direction: Siddharth Anand is the master of spy-thriller genre & you can see his craftsmanship in the film. Expect a lot of action & chase sequences, death and gravity defying stunts on cars, bikes, ice and helicopters in the films that are whistle worthy.

Acting: Shah Rukh Khan completely owns the film from the very first scene and he once again proves why he is the undisputed king of Bollywood. With his chisseld body the actor leaves fans drooling along with those powerfully evocative eyes. Despite of Shah Rukh's powerful presence John leaves his impression and is winning hearts with his solid portrayal of Jim. Making a classic case of villian, John is outstanding and even overshadows the hero in portions. Deepika Padukone looks beautiful and kicks asses perfectly, her chemistry with SRK also sets the screen on fire. However one can't miss one actor and he is Salman Khan. The YRF spy universe reunites our very own Karan and Arjun in the most perfect manner and get ready to witness loud cheers and whistles in the theatres the moment these two appear onscreen.

Overall Pathaan is a complete masala entertainer that you can watch with your entire family. Go watch a bucket full of popcorn to enjoy the film at a theatre near you.

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‘Pathaan’ review: Shah Rukh Khan lights up an entertaining spy thriller

Siddharth anand’s action thriller is out in cinemas..

Shah Rukh Khan is back in a film that does his persona full justice. His hair is longer than usual, he is older and presumably wiser, often bruised and blood-spattered, but the twinkle in the eye and the deep dimples are intact.

Siddharth Anand’s Pathaan is a heady cocktail of Mission: Impossibles and James Bonds past with nods to producer Yash Raj Films’ own espionage thrillers and screenwriter Shridhar Raghavan’s previous Agent Vinod . There are even glimpses of Khan’s early days as a dashing Indian Army soldier in the Doordarshan serial Fauji , which catapulted the actor to fame and laid the foundation of his accidental ladykiller persona.

Legacy is one of the chief selling points in a film with a disposable plot. Patriots never retire and can be repurposed to serve their country in new ways, Khan’s government operative tells his boss Nandini (Dimple Kapadia).

An electric cameo that marks Pathaan as a retrofitted entry in the planned “YRF Spy Universe” not only turbocharges the movie but also yields a delightful post-credits scene. It comes all the way after the last beats of Jhoome Jo Pathaan have faded out. It’s worth the wait.

Pathaan finds smart ways to play on the strengths of its star cast as well as remind viewers of how they earned their luminescence in the first place – and why that hasn’t dimmed. From the endlessly charismatic Khan himself, to John Abraham, in excellent form as Pathaan’s worthy nemesis Jim, to Deepika Padukone, oozing oomph and admirable fitness levels as agent Rubiya, to That Cameo, everyone in the movie is correctly deployed for a mission to repurpose Khan as a full-on action hero.

In the present, Jim is planning something so dastardly that only Pathaan can stop it. Flashbacks – and flashbacks within flashbacks – tell us how Pathaan got his name , the results of his first brush with Jim, and the fatal moment when he sets his eyes on Rubiya. The crackling chemistry between Khan and Padukone ensures that Pathaan, who sometimes appears as ascetic as his lodestar Ethan Hunt from the Mission: Impossible films, melts on occasion.

Back in Delhi, Pathaan’s superboss Luthra (Ashutosh Rana) paces in front of computer screens that are warning of imminent destruction. That takes its own sweet time in a 146-minute film with no hurry to meet Jim’s Armageddon deadline.

It’s knowingly silly and sometimes unknowingly silly too, especially in trying to explain how seemingly impenetrable fortresses get easily breached and agents emerge from life-threatening situations with barely a scar. There are moments when the narrative slumps, when the stunts feel too familiar or derivative, when the thrills look like they are in danger of running out. Whenever Pathaan picks up the action again, and adds Abbas Tyrewala’s whistle-worthy lines to its hero’s arsenal, the film slides back into gear.

The whole shebang is dunked in a soft nationalism that is determinedly less toxic than the jingoism we now see around us. Just like Shah Rukh Khan’s come-into-my-arms gesture , Pathaan aims for an inclusivity that embraces not just India but the entire neighbourhood. While weapons of various sizes are bandied about, the movie’s greatest blaster is its hero itself, parleying his well-oiled impishness, time-tested charm and mesmeric screen presence for a cheesy but also entertaining save-the-nation exercise.

In Shah Rukh Khan’s new movie ‘Pathaan’, a sort of homecoming

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• Pathaan review
• Shah Rukh Khan
• Deepika Padukone
• Siddharth Anand

• తెలుగు

Pathaan Movie Review: Action In Big Scale

Movie: Pathaan Rating: 2.75/5 Banner: YRF Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan (guest role), Deepika Padukone, John Abrahm, Dimple Kapadia, and others Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan Dialogues: Abbas Tyrewala Music: Vishal and Sheykhar Director of Photography: Satchith Paulose Editor: Aarif Sheikh Producer: Aditya Chopra Director: Siddharth Anand Release Date: 25 January 2023

Once the undisputed king of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan's career was in serious trouble after a string of box office bombs. After four years of self-reflection, he re-emerged as "Pathaan." Here we have the movie Pathaan.

Let's see if Shah Rukh Khan can work his magic once more.

Story: The ISI of Pakistan has threatened to attack India using a private terrorist organisation in response to the Indian government's decision to repeal article 370.

The head of the ISI gets in touch with a renegade Indian agent named Jim (John Abraham), who plans to exact revenge on India.

Many years ago, when Jim's wife was being held hostage by terrorists, he became bitter toward India because our government did nothing to rescue her.

As part of his plan to create a deadly virus, Jim kidnaps an Indian scientist in Dubai and forces him to work for him. India's top secret agent, Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan), has been tasked with taking down Jim.

In this case, Pathaan is aided by Rubina, a defected ISI agent (Deepika Padukone). But is he able to rely on Rubina's honesty and integrity?

Artistes’ Performances: Shah Rukh Khan sheds his romantic image and transforms into an action star. Shah Rukh Khan, with his eight-pack abs, appears to be in shape for such roles. His charismatic screen presence and dialogue delivery are the most appealing aspects of the film. He is extremely agile when performing action stunts. Another highlight is his bonding with Salman Khan, who appears briefly in the film.

Deepika Padukone excels at both the glamour show and the action stunts. She does a lot of action stunts with Shah Rukh Khan and has a meaty role.

John Abrahm is a compelling rogue agent. He has charismatic presence. Dimple Kapadia is cast as a boss.

Technical Excellence: "Pathaan" is a true spy thriller with globe-trotting action. The locations are breathtaking. The visual setting is lavish and grand. The ice stunts are reminiscent of a James Bond film. However, the stunts are truly large-scale, visioned, and executed. We see jet planes flying through the air and helicopter battles.

The cinematography is excellent and fits the scale of the film. The visual effects work is adequate. Background music is ideal. The film's pacing should have been racy.

Highlights: Shah Rukh Khan Action stunts Grand setting and making

Drawback: Formulaic story Slow-paced narration

Analysis There's a title card at the beginning of "Pathaan" that explains the movie is connected to the YRF spyverse. Both "Ek Tha Tiger" and "Tiger Zinda Hai" were produced by the same studio. This latest instalment stars Shah Rukh Khan as Agent Pathaan in yet another spy film. In this spy universe, we also get a visit from agent Tiger.

Everything about "Pathaan," from the setting to the plot to the production, is typical of a spy thriller. The plot doesn't amount to much. But director Siddharth Anand presents it so that it can win over both general moviegoers and Shah Rukh Khan fans.

The first half of the film is largely spent on establishing the hero's mission, introducing the villain, and Deepika Padukone – SRK’s romance. After the interval, the movie gets going. An explosive "Pathaan meets Tiger" moment kicks off the action after the intermission. The on-screen chemistry between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan makes for a fun episode.

The second half features a plethora of exciting and visually stunning action sequences. The lack of logic and reason is disappointing, but the thrills are well worth the price.

Let's be honest: the film strictly adheres to the norms of the spy thriller genre and its established formula. It's just too taxing to watch some of these stunts. Also, the story's attempt at an emotional appeal falls flat. There isn't much in the film to make you feel patriotic, either. But the charisma of Shah Rukh Khan makes us believe in the unbelievable.

Star power and action are Pathaan's are main assets. The film's targeted viewers are those who enjoy action movies in general. So it'll be effective for them. To others, however, it will just be another high-budgeted slick action movie.

All in all, watch "Pathaan" for Shah Rukh Khan's charm and a few stunning moments, but don't expect much from it. It's neither great nor a total letdown. However, in the theatre, the film provides a decent amount of enjoyable entertainment.

Bottom line: Routine but engaging

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'Pathaan' Movie Review: SRK is the spectacle

Updated on: 25 January,2023 08:01 PM IST  |  Mumbai Mayank Shekhar | [email protected]

• Text  

It’s SRK's return to the big screen, in a lead role in 'Pathaan', in four years—having delivered a bunch of duds before that. You can tell how hard he’s worked for this comeback

(Pic coutresy: Twitter)

Film: Pathaan  Director: Siddharth Anand Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone Rating: 3/5

If you must know, the ISI ( Deepika Padukone ) and RAW ( Shah Rukh Khan ) seem to be working together in Pathaan! On what mission, exactly, at the point we meet them, first? That I won’t tell you. Not because it’d be a spoiler. But because I couldn’t tell/figure! What we do know is that unlike Ek Tha Tiger (Katrina Kaif, Salman Khan), this isn’t an Indo-Pak, inter-agency romance. Sure, sparks fly here and there—love/sex is not the action you stepped into the theatre for!

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Barring the beautifully shot/composed bikini song ‘Besharam rang’, there really is no space in this picture for anything, but a series of stunt and chase sequences, starring the super-hero the film is named after. That is, Pathaan, making grand entries on every conceivable vehicle: helicopter, plane, train, truck, motor-bikes, skis, down to a wing-span attached to shoulders, so you can see, he can fly! 

Also, these superhero-heroine-villain fly to every corner of the world to bring you this action, live, from Afghanistan, Russia, Syria, Spain, France, UAE…  Basically, if it’s the big-screen scale you were looking for? Eat this. Which is also a reason the film becomes hard to swallow, sometimes. It’s so frickin’ cut-to-cut.

The filmmakers appear so inherently insecure about somehow securing the audience’s attention—the eyes gallop from one shot of the hero, buried under a car, to him jumping on to a chopper, right in the next, unrelated scene, and so on, and so forth. Surely the climaxes— ‘ta-da-da tan ta-da-da’ continuously for background score—loses meaning, if an entire movie is a climax? 

Let’s just say, by the end of it, I forgot where we’d started from. But you’re okay, so long as you stick to Shah Rukh Khan in long locks, muscles ripped, setting freakish fitness goals. This is possibly the best he’s looked onscreen, in his entire career. And he’s frickin’ 57. SRK is the spectacle! Even if he stars among many, including set-pieces, starting with the Dhoom-boy antagonist, John Abraham.

It's as if someone—and that’d be the producer, Aditya Chopra, who else—sat down with pen, paper, listing how many assets to add to SRK in the pic. Reasons to watch Pathaan: action, locations, plot twists, upping stakes, crazy weapons, chemical warfare, SFX (cheque, cheque, cheque).

In all of this, it’s almost a miracle that the movie eventually comes together at least somewhat coherently enough (most don’t). And for that you’ve gotta credit the basic writing, isn’t it: full-on hands-on director Sidharth Anand (for story), Sridhar Raghavan (screenplay), Abbas Tyrewala (dialogues). It’s the same lot that scripted Yash Raj’s last soldier-spy blast-fest, the equally stunning War (2019).  

That said, what’s the movie about, really? Hah, let’s see: a gent of an agent, named Pathaan, of course. He’s from the Indian Army, but serves RAW—lining up a team of retired-hurt soldiers, only we don’t get to see them thereafter. Is Pathaan, Muslim, the ISI agent asks. He doesn’t know.  He was left behind by his parents at a theatre. Therefore, born in a cinema. As is this movie. And that’s where it belongs. Don’t fret then, even when motivations of the mercenary villain is a shifting goalpost.

All the more, you can’t possibly read heavily into the picture’s politics either, if there is much at all. There’s the usual patriotic sentiment of giving your life up for the nation. Expected from a Republic Day release. There is the mention of Article 370 repealed in Kashmir, that has got “extremist” elements within ISI thoroughly charged up to destroy India altogether. For once, though, a Pakistani could also be a sane person; and, indeed, an Indian can be a complete rogue.

Also Read: 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan' teaser unveiled during SRK's 'Pathaan' screening, WATCH!

It’s merely a comment on the times that even watching a simplistic mass-entertainer such as 'Pathaan' has seemed like a political act, leading up to its theatrical opening. A lot of it has probably to do with SRK, the super-star at the centre. Also, the actor with the largest female fan-base in India—who you hope (for him, for once) will show up for a mad-actioner as well!

It’s his return to the big screen, in a lead role, in four years—having delivered a bunch of duds before that. You can tell how hard he’s worked for this comeback.  What one did not account for, in the interim, is how important this picture would become—to get Hindi film audiences itself to return to theatres, post-pandemic. Pathaan has felt like a massive event, alright. On my IMAX screen, it lived up to it.

That explains Salman Khan as Tiger, from Yash Raj’s ‘spy universe’, jumping in with Pathaan to kick some Russian asses! Kabir (Hrithik Roshan, from War), it seems, couldn’t make it. What next: James Bond, Jason Bourne joining in?

Seetis simply don’t stop, at my 7.30 am, first day, first show. Movie-magic’s all there. Reviews/ratings mustn’t matter. On my way back, my cabbie wants to know: “Majboot hain? Mast?” Haan. 

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Pathaan review: ‘పఠాన్‌’ మూవీ రివ్యూ.

కథేంటంటే.. భారత ప్రభుత్వం ఆర్టికల్‌ 370 రద్దు చేయడంతో పాకిస్తాన్‌ ప్రభుత్వం కోపంతో రగిలిపోతుంది. భారత్‌పై దాడి చేసేందుకు కుట్ర పన్నుతుంది. దీని కోసం ప్రైవేట్‌ ఏజెంట్‌ జిమ్‌(జాన్‌ అబ్రహం)ను సంప్రదిస్తాడు పాక్‌ జనరల్‌ కల్నల్‌. కశ్మీర్‌ని పాకిస్తాన్‌కి అప్పగించాలని, లేదంటే ఇండియాపై అటాక్‌ చేయాలని కోరతాడు. దీంతో ఇండియాపై బయో వార్‌ చేసేందుకు ప్లాన్‌ వేస్తాడు జిమ్‌. దాన్ని అడ్డుకునేందుకు రంగంలోకి దిగుతాడు ఇండియన్‌ ఏజెంట్‌ పఠాన్‌(షారుఖ్‌ ఖాన్‌). అసలు జిమ్‌ వేసిన రక్తభీజ్‌ ప్లాన్‌ ఏంటి? ఇండియాపై జిమ్‌ ఎందుకు పగ పడతాడు? పఠాన్‌, జిమ్‌కు ఉన్న సంబంధం ఏంటి? సీక్రెట్‌ ఏజెన్సీ ‘జోకర్‌’ని పఠాన్‌ ఎందుకు ఏర్పాటు చేశాడు?  రక్తభీజ్‌ ప్లాన్‌ని చేధించే క్రమంలో పఠాన్‌, పాకిస్తాన్‌ ఐఎస్‌ఐ ఏజెంట్‌ రూబై(దీపికా పదుకొణె) మధ్య ఏం జరిగింది? పాకిస్తాన్‌ కుట్రను అడ్డుకునే క్రమంలో భారత ఆర్మీ అధికారిణి (డింపుల్‌ కపాడియా) చేసిన త్యాగమేంటి? తదితర విషయాలు తెలియాలంటే థియేటర్‌లో ‘పఠాన్‌’ సినిమా చూడాల్సిందే. 

ఎలా ఉందంటే.. 'వార్' మూవీతో దర్శకుడు సిద్ధార్థ్ ఆనంద్ భారీ విజయం అందుకున్నాడు. ఆ సినిమాలోని యాక్షన్‌, ఎమోషన్స్‌.. అన్ని ప్రేక్షకులను విపరీతంగా ఆకట్టుకున్నాయి. అలాంటి దర్శకుడు షారుఖ్‌తో సినిమా అనేసరికి ‘పఠాన్‌’పై అంచనాలు పెరిగాయి. దానికి తోడు ‘ఏక్ థా టైగర్', 'టైగర్ జిందా హై'తో పాటు ‘వార్‌’ లాంటి స్పై థ్రిల్లర్స్ నిర్మించిన భారీ నిర్మాణ సంస్థ యశ్‌రాజ్‌  ఫిల్మ్స్‌  నిర్మాతగా వ్యవహరించడంతో ఆ అంచనాలు తారా స్థాయికి చేరాయి.

అందుకు తగ్గట్టే భారీ యాక్షన్స్‌ సీక్వెన్స్‌, విజువల్స్‌తో పఠాన్‌ని అద్భుతంగా తెరకెక్కించారు. అయితే కథ మాత్రం రొటీన్‌గా ఉంటుంది. యాక్షన్స్‌ సీన్స్‌, విజువల్స్‌...  ఏక్ థా టైగర్, టైగర్ జిందా హై, వార్‌ సినిమాలలో చూసినట్లుగానే ఉంటాయి. అయితే ఆ సినిమాల్లో పండిన ఎమోషన్ 'పఠాన్'లో పండలేదు. షారుఖ్‌ స్టార్‌డమ్‌తో సినిమాను లాక్కొచ్చారు. 

పస్టాఫ్‌ అంతా సాధారణంగా సాగుతుంది. జాన్‌ అబ్రహం, షారుఖ్‌ తలపడే సీన్స్‌ ఆకట్టుకుంటాయి. అయితే కథ మాత్రం ముందుకు వెనక్కి వెళ్తూ.. గందరగోళానికి గురి చేస్తుంది. రక్తభీజ్‌ను గుర్తించే క్రమంలో హెలికాప్టర్‌పై షారుఖ్‌, దీపికాలు చేసే యాక్షన్‌ సీన్స్‌ అదిరిపోతాయి. ఇంటర్వెల్‌ ట్విస్ట్‌ బాగుంటుంది. కానీ స్పై థ్రిల్లర్స్ తరహా సినిమాలు చూసేవాళ్లు ఆ ట్విస్ట్‌ని పసిగట్టే చాన్స్‌ ఉంది.

ఇక సెకండాఫ్‌ నుంచి కథలో వేగం పుంజుకుంటుంది. ప్రీక్లైమాక్స్‌ ముందు వచ్చే ఇండియన్‌ ల్యాబ్‌ సీన్‌ ఎమోషనల్‌కు గురి చేస్తుంది. ఇక క్లైమాక్స్‌లో షారుఖ్‌, జాన్‌ అబ్రహం యాక్షన్‌ సీన్స్‌ అదిరిపోతాయి. పఠాన్ కోసం టైగర్‌(సల్మాన్‌ ఖాన్‌) రావడం.. వారిద్దరు కలిసి చేసే యాక్షన్‌ సీన్‌ సినిమాకే హైలెట్‌. షారుఖ్‌ అభిమానులకు, యాక్షన్‌ సీక్వెన్స్‌ ఇష్టపడేవారికి ‘పఠాన్‌’ నచ్చుతుంది. 

ఎవరెలా చేశారంటే.. ఇండియన్‌ జవాన్‌ పఠాన్‌ పాత్రలో షారుఖ్‌ ఒదిగిపోయాడు. యాక్షన్‌ సీన్స్‌లో అద్భుతంగా నటించాడు. ఈ సినిమా కోసం షారుఖ్‌ పడిన కష్టమంతా తెరపై కనబడుతుంది. ప్యాక్డ్‌ బాడీతో కనిపించి అభిమానులను అలరించాడు. జాన్‌ అబ్రహం నెగెటివ్ రోల్‌లో అదరగొట్టేశాడు. యాక్షన్స్‌ సీన్స్‌లో షారుఖ్‌తో పోటీపడి నటించాడు. పాకిస్తాన్‌ ఐఎస్‌ఐ ఏజెంట్‌ రూబైగా దీపికా పదుకొణె తనదైన నటనతో ఆకట్టుకుంది.

తెరపై అందాలను ప్రదర్శించడమే కాదు.. యాక్షన్స్‌ సీక్వెన్స్‌లో నటించి అందరిని ఆశ్చర్యపరిచింది. ఆమె చేసే ఫైట్‌ సీన్స్‌ ఆకట్టుకుంటాయి. అశుతోష్ రానా, డింపుల్ కపాడియాలతో పాటు మిగిలిన నటీనటులు తమ పాత్రల పరిధిమేర నటించారు. సంచిత్ బల్హారా, అకింత్ బల్హారా నేపథ్య సంగీతం బాగుంది. సినిమాటోగ్రఫీ స్పెషల్ అట్రాక్షన్‌గా నిలుస్తుంది. యశ్ రాజ్ ఫిల్మ్స్ నిర్మాణ విలువలు సినిమా స్థాయికి తగ్గట్లు ఉన్నతంగా ఉన్నాయి. 

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• Trivia Actors Nick Offerman and Jesse Plemons weren't known to be a part of the project until the first trailer dropped in December 2023. Plemons even denied the rumor that he was in the film earlier that year.

Joel : There has to be some mistake. We're American, right?

Unnamed Soldier : Okay. What kind of American are you? You don't know?

• Connections Featured in Nerdrotic: Woke Hollywood's Civil WAR? Disney DESTROYS Hasbro - Nerdrotic Nooner 388 with Chris Gore (2023)

User reviews 26

• Apr 6, 2024
• How long will Civil War be? Powered by Alexa
• April 12, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Ngày Tàn Của Đế Quốc
• Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $50,000,000 (estimated)

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 49 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• IMAX 6-Track

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