Pathaan - Movie Review

Shah Rukh Khan has always been remembered for his emotive scenes from Baazigar to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Kal Ho Na Ho. Somewhere down the line, the actor chose to do various experimental roles which may not have been fitting to his status. That’s a professional risk many take. Except that after his last big run at the Box Office, Chennai Express, none of his movies stuck a chord with the audience, even with his hardcore fans spread worldwide. In Pathaan, he is back with his old ways, charming the audience with his emotions, romantic innuendos, action scenes and a rare, one of its kind on-screen camaraderie with his close friend, confidante, contemporary and career brother –Salman Khan. As the movie ends with the title credits, the two are seen sitting and chatting casually, wondering who would be their successors in their missions (read: Bollywood, perhaps). The two make guesstimates without naming the newbies, sarcastic comments about youngsters but do not agree unanimously on any one guy. They sign off that they should continue with their work and enthral the audience like how they have done for 30 years.

Over-Confidence or the real state of affairs… time will tell. 

Pathaan is an orphan who was found outside a cinema theatre, grew up in an orphanage and joined the Indian Army before becoming an agent of RAW – Research and Analysis Wing. India’s esteemed agency which is said to have its people infiltrated globally as locals, gains intelligence to ward off serious national threats, or atleast find ways to avoid them, should they happen. Pathaan has done many such gigs and is ably led by Nandini (Dimple Kapadia) to form JOCR – Joint Operations Covert Ring, a cohort of yesteryear brave hearts to continue their mission. Col. Luthra (Ashuthosh Rana), the head of RAW is not a happy man with this approach and feels the team is nothing but shattered eggshells. 

Based on intelligence that Jim (John Abraham) is about to harm the Hon’ble President of India during a Science Conclave in Dubai, Pathaan & Co. travel to the Middle Eastern country. Just that Jim’s targets are two Indian scientists and not really the President. What we see for the next 10 mins is some incredible action, akin to computer and mobile video games. I am sure the makers could have thought better. Like, for Ex., two choppers flying side by side even as Jim and Pathaan keep tossing in the air, fighting each other in downtown Dubai. Would Dubai / UAE police gone on vacation meanwhile, one wonders. 

Some facepalm moments like this here and there. But, hang on, there is more to come. 

Jim escapes with the Scientists to an unknown location. Pathaan now reaches Spain to Rubina Mohsin (Deepika Padukone) who is actually an undercover from Jim’s team. Once again Jim and Pathaan encounter, except that this time, Deepika switches sides to Pathaan. The two travel to Moscow, Russia to steal something very valuable on which Jim has set his eyes on. In a bizarre sequence of screenplay – watch it to know – the two reach the secret vault to steal the bounty “Raktbeej”, a seemingly chemical formula in an Orbs ( a container). Once she gets it in her hand, she dumps Pathaan, to deliver it safely to Jim. We get to know she is an ISI Agent and that Jim has been asked by ISI to attack India after the abrogation of Article 370 to free Kashmir. In an earlier avatar, Jim was a former RAW Agent, who’s pregnant wife was tortured and killed by an African terrorist group since the Indian Government refuses to pay them money in return. Jim is considered dead, and is even awarded a Bravery Award by India, but he has moved on. He is now a professional terrorist – one who doesn’t have any ideology and executes work for money. 

So what is Raktbeej and why does Jim want it? That’s the rest of the story post-Interval. 

Some hilarious international masala stuff that we see in the last 30 mins. Like, Jim flies off in a human aircraft kind of a tech-piece which he controls to fly using his hands. Pathaan follows him too, except the two do not wear sunglasses and their eyes are wide open, notwithstanding the winds at that height. 

The scenes where Tiger and Pathaan fight the baddies atop a fast moving train is witty and fun, though the entire sequence is exaggerated. Nandini and Pathaan discuss about the dreaded chemical while she's inside a Lab with her suit & mask - yet we hear and most importantly, Pathaan hears her brave dialogues. 

Say what you will, Pathaan has delivered. And that’s what matters at the end. Reports say the film collected over Rs. 50 Cr on its first day at the Box Office worldwide, a record for any Hindi film as well as for SRK. The negative pre-release publicity over Deepika's Bikini scenes only helped the movie. The post release reviews that it was an ISI agent (in the film) who finally saves India is absolute filmy.