Pathaan Movie Review

Shah Rukh Khan’s long-awaited return to the big screen has finally happened, with Pathaan getting to the cinemas finally. The film, as looked for by the fans, is a paisa-vasool mass entertainer that delivers the fanboy moments, big action sequences and a good load of surprises for the audiences.

Pathaan projects the story of a man who flew away from the force after a freak accident, but returns as a spy when duty calls. Pathaan is now put opposite Jim, an agent gone rogue who is now going berserk to create terror in India. The story then moves from point to point, taking us on Pathaan’s journey to fight against Jim and the consequences that both sides have to face.

The best part about Pathaan is that it is not just bolstered by its image building and fan service, but also has a fine amount of writing that makes it stand up above the expectations set very lowly in War. Siddharth Anand ensures that his high-budget making is supported by a decent amount of reasoning and emotions that drive the film ahead. The action sequences in Pathaan are all over-the-top and unbelievable, and despite the eye sores created due to green mats and VFX, the film manages to keep us engaged by throwing some style, surprises and interesting connections into the air.

Pathaan has a very compelling act from SRK, who is back in style for sure. The film benefits largely from the actor’s performance, and he is on point while delivering his punchlines, doing his stunts or simply turning up onscreen.

Deepika Padukone is superb, and there is really no other better star who can do full justice to her role. John Abraham is excellent in his part and there are lots of scenes where the star steals the show completely. The rest of the cast is apt, especially Dimple Kapadia who carries a good weight of the film on her shoulders.

The big downside in Pathaan is in its VFX work which is shoddily executed with a lot of green mat and poor coloring. Lot of good scenes in the film are hampered by the use of VFX which acts as a big negative to the film. Pathaan could have done away with this big issue, as it also bobs down the excitement that the film carries even in a crucial scene featuring Salman and Shah Rukh. Otherwise, the film is technically on par.

Siddharth Anand delivers better than what he achieved in War in terms of his writing and putting forth, but the action in Pathaan makes it take a back seat. Nevertheless, this is compelling entertainment for the big screen.  Pathaan Movie Review by Siddarth Srinivas

Pathaan Movie Review Rating: 3/5