Just when we thought Bollywood's Baadshah Shah Rukh Khan couldn't possibly surprise us anymore, he swoops in with another. Although he is widely known for his rom-coms, he also makes action films occasionally, but they have yet to have the same impact on viewers as Ra-One. While Indian audiences have always welcomed action thrillers like Rocky Handsome and Hrithik Roshan's War, fans are ecstatic about the upcoming action drama Pathaan.
Pathaan, an Indian action thriller written and directed by Siddharth Anand, is the fourth installment in the YRF (Yash Raj Films) Spy Universe, which also includes the films Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, and War. According to reports, the film marks Shah Rukh Khan's return to the big screen in the leading role following his 2018 blockbuster Zero.
The shared universe initially began as a single movie series. However, as the films became commercially successful, the franchise chose to make crossovers by incorporating a few story elements and character cameos. However, there were no major crossovers, and War was an independent film with no ties to the Tiger franchise (Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, and still counting).
Pathaan will certainly be the first film in the franchise to feature characters from both the Tiger and War franchises. With that in mind, here's everything we know about Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming action thriller, Pathaan.
Pathaan: The Plot
According to the teaser, as highlighted by Variety, the film chronicles the story of Pathaan, a RAW field agent who went missing for three years and had no trace of him until terrorists captured him in his last mission. They torture him in an attempt to acquire the information, but he ultimately cuts himself loose and flees the enemies' clutches. On the other end of the story, Deepika Padukone, as a secret agent, is hunting a drug kingpin named Shabir Ansari, portrayed by John Abraham, but is unable to find any leads.
After joining Pathaan as a co-agent and, hopefully, as his lover, they embark on a mission to locate the drug lord who murdered his own father and is still terrorizing peaceful cities around the globe. To defeat this cunning opponent, he must push himself to the limit and team up with his closest allies, drawing on the three years of intelligence he gathered from terrorists.
While Pathaan appears to be a typical spy thriller, it is truthfully setting up the story for future films in the YRF Spy Universe, and it may introduce new foes along the way who will play a key role in the future.
Pathaan: The Cast and Crew
Pathaan, like most Bollywood action films, features a stellar ensemble of actors from well-known movies. Shah Rukh Khan will play the role of Pathaan, a RAW field agent who has been AWOL for three years. The actor doesn't need an introduction as he's been in films for a good number of years. The Don trilogy, Ra-One, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Chennai Express, and a fabulous appearance in the latest Indian visual sensation, Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, are among his most popular works.
Deepika Padukone, a well-known Bollywood actress who has been in several successful films, will portray Pathaan's supporting field agent. She is famous for her performances in Padmaavat, Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and XXX: Return of Xander Cage. Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika have worked together on several occasions, and given their on-screen chemistry, we don't have to be concerned about the love story's influence on the film.
In the film, John Abraham, one of India's most popular models and an outstanding actor, will play drug lord Shabir Ansari. Abraham, along with Tiger Shroff, Vidyut Jamwal, Hrithik Roshan, and Salman Khan, is among the best Bollywood action heroes. Fans recognize him from successful action films such as Rocky Handsome, the Force film franchise, Dhoom, and Dishoom.
While these three well-known actors serve as the film's focal point, additional cast members include Ashutosh Rana, Gautam Rode, Dimple Kapadia, Shaji Choudary, Gavie Chahal, and Siddhant Ghegadmal. Although the teaser appears to be lacking in VFX, the rest of the film looks fantastic, and we must commend the production team for their efforts.
As previously stated, Siddharth Anand penned and directed the film; in the meanwhile, Shridhar Raghavan worked on the screenplay, and Abbas Tyrewala handled the dialogues. Siddharth Anand is popularly known for his earlier action flicks, War and Bang Bang, both starring Hrithik Roshan. Both of these individuals collaborated with Anand on the War film, which is part of the YRF Spy Universe. Aside from these notable crew members, the film has a wide selection of personnel in each field.
The most exciting ones, though, are the stunts performed by Casey O'Neil, who previously worked with Tom Cruise on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Top Gun: Maverick, and Marvel's Werewolf by Night. During an interview with Outlook, director Siddharth Anand expressed his excitement for the project, citing the excellence of stunts executed by Casey O'Neil. As he put it:
"When one sets out to make the spectacle action film of India with one of the all-time biggest heroes of our country, Shah Rukh Khan, you need to have a champion team that is unified in the vision. Thankfully, we got an A-team that came together to push the visual envelope with Pathaan, and I was delighted to have someone like Casey O'Neil, who has extensively worked with Tom Cruise, to be by our side."
Release Date
Pathaan, featuring Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, will be released in theaters on January 25, 2023, according to Yash Raj Films.