Mausam bigadne wala hai' - Shah Rukh Khan used these exact lines in the trailer, and boy did he mean it! As YRF opens up their spyverse with Pathaan, SRK couldn't have chosen a better movie to make his big comeback with.
Rugged, unruly and disobedient to the bone, Pathaan might be India's hero, but he sure is every colonel's biggest nightmare. But lo and behold, as we have seen with Tiger, and Tiger Zinda Hai, rules barely apply to a macho man pumping with tons of adrenaline (and testosterone, duh!).
Apart from his power packed one-liners, which deserve a seeti at every turn, the man can take down an entire brigade of trained soldiers who are armed with guns, knives, and grenades. You name it!
And if you are still not getting the vibe here, the angry young man is back, and he couldn't be any angrier than Pathaan. After all - his homeland is at stake, here!
Pathaan movie review - Summary
Pathaan aka Shah Rukh Khan is an Indian spy tasked with the mission to bring down Jim (John Abraham), as the leader of the mercenaries aims at unleashing keher upon the innocent people of the country.
Sounds basic, well, maybe!
How he locks horns with Jim is what makes the crux of the movie. With Shah Rukh Khan littered in cuts and bruises for the most part of the film, you best bet the road to saving his people hadn't been an easy one.
Pathaan movie review - Performances
No surprises here, but Shah Rukh is the true blue star of the show. After all he IS playing the titular role. But, you best bet he did justice to the role in every way. From making an epic entry to delivering the most thrilling action sequences with utmost panache, SRK is well and truly deserving of all the praise coming his way.
Rubina Mohsin aka Deepika Padukone's grey character is a hit and miss. On one hand you want to strangle the fierce woman for the choices she makes, but on the other, she does make for a kickass partner for our Pathaan. She can put up a great fight and even gulp down an entire glass of whiskey. All the while looking like a major bombshell!
Then comes our villian. The handsome hunk of the movie - John Abraham. His backstory makes you sit back and think whether he really is worthy of being called a 'villian' of all things. After all, how far would you go for vengeance when your family is the one who paid the price for your loyalty?
Veteran actors Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana are the cherry on top to this action thriller. Playing uptight RAW authorities, their approach towards Pathaan might be different, but their goal remains the same - protecting India.
Pathaan movie review - sound
A special mention is much needed here! An extra character in the film has got to be the background music. While Besharam Rang and Jhoome jo Pathaan are the only two official songs from the soundtrack, Pathaan's theme song will give you chills. (Quite, literally).
Perched behind every action sequence, which were a lot to begin with, the music will have you bopping along to the dishoom dishoom happening on the screen.
Pathaan movie review - Final thoughts
The movie does not come without its fair share of potshots. "Hamare paas ISI jitna budget nahi hai," for instance. But of course that is to be expected from a movie that revolves around the dushmani of two nations.
The references to Tiger are a total treat too. In a hilarious turn of events, John called ISI a 'dating site', considering Zoya (Katrina Kaif from Ek Tha Tiger) and now a certain someone in Pathaan lost their hearts to our jawans, but hey it's Shah Rukh and Salman we are talking about. Can't say we blame the ladies!
No spoilers here, but Salman Khan's cameo is definitely top-tier. And you are most definitely sitting amongst a weak crowd if the crowd doesn't automatically erupt in cheers at Bhai's entry. After all, the OG Tiger with our trusty Pathaan make for a duo that is as iconic as it sounds.