Pathaan Movie Review: Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan delivers a power-packed entertainer

Posted on 25 Jan, 2023

Post by Gayatri Tilgulkar - Writer at ELFA World

Pathaan Movie Review: Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan delivers a power-packed entertainer
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham
Directed by: Siddharth Anand
Genre: Action thriller
Duration: 2h 26m

Plot: A terrorist gang poses a threat to the entire nation by planning to spread a deadly virus, Raktbeej. It's a race against time for Pathaan to defeat the devil and his evil plans.

What works for the film:

Catering to the genre 
It's a massy action film to celebrate the genre of Bollywood. It's evident and successful. When Pathaan leans towards action it ticks all the boxes of a blockbuster. Siddharth Anand has choreographed the high-energy combat scenes skillfully. Pathaan starts on a high note and ends on an even elevated stand. It's 2 hours and 30 minutes of entertainment.


Performance

Deepika Padukone is stellar as usual, she slips into the role with ease. Her character is designed to be mysterious and she manages to draw us in with intrigue. She is great in the first half and incredible in the second. Moreover we missed Shahrukh Khan and Deepika on the screen. 

John Abraham has got some of the best dialogues in the film. The low grunts, deep voice and action sequences make him swoon-worthy yet a menacing antagonist. His character boosts the builds for a high-stake situation. 

Dimple Kapadia is an important piece of the story, she handles the responsibility with flair. It's rewarding to watch her presence of mind on screen.

Shah Rukh Khan, it's been a while since we have written this name for a review and we couldn't be more happy to welcome it back with such a class of performance. Shah Rukh Khan is the pulse of this movie. His quick-witted yet intimidating character is well designed and flees from the trap of caricature. The moment Shah Rukh Khan enters the frame he takes over and gives us the larger than life hero tale. Shah Rukh Khan has put on one hell of a show.  


Technical prowess
Siddharth Anand's artistic vision manages to pull off a grand film in style. The music by Vishal–Shekhar is going to be on every playlist, no doubt. The opening action sequence paired with high BGM is one of the favorites. The film score is composed by Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara and they have made sure to never let the story have a dull moment.

Satchith Paulose has crafted stunning shots into the play. The scene transitioning from low light to spotlight and then a stark red looming over like a threat in the first 20 minutes is not lost on us. Kudos to the creativity and its execution.


What doesn't work for the film:

Hit and miss banter

Not a lot of dialogues hit the mark, some feel a bit forced to fit into the scene. The movie is fast paced which works sometimes and on others instances might confuse the audience.

Structure and length

Even though we can't have enough of Shah Rukh Khan's comeback, some scenes could be tweaked without its impact being felt. Duration nearly touches the 150 mark which is tough to follow.


Final verdict: 

Despite its tiny demerits, there is no excuse to miss this film. If you are a fan of mystery action done well, Pathaan is the one for you…If you are a fan of Massey entertainer, Pathaan has got you covered. But most of all if you are a fan of Shah Rukh Khan, without a shadow of a doubt Pathaan is your prize for the wait of 4 years!

Stars : 4/5

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