Pathaan (2023): Shah Rukh Khan stands out while the narrative loses grip
The opening action passage finds Pathaan dropping into frame like a man who has been waiting four years to remind you what stardom feels like. There is nothing subtle about his reintroduction, and that is precisely the point.
SRK carries this film through sheer presence, turning fight choreography into a dialogue between his ageing superstar body and the camera that adores it. He is not playing a character so much as he is reoccupying a throne, and the early set pieces, especially the mid-film chase passages, are built entirely around that gravitational pull.
John Abraham’s Jim Is A Body, Not A Mind
Jim arrives as a physically imposing antagonist whose revenge motivation is sketched in broad strokes rather than layered psychology. John Abraham projects threat through combat and posture, but the script never gives him the interiority that would make his turn feel dangerous rather than merely functional.
His best moments come in the climax confrontation, where the film finally allows him to trade blows with Pathaan at a scale that matches their combined star wattage. It is a shame the writing does not match the physical commitment.
Siddharth Anand Stages Spectacle With Commercial Precision
Siddharth Anand knows exactly what this film needs to be: a large-scale commercial action vehicle that moves through its spy premise with mission-based momentum. The first half is energetically paced, introducing the premise and its players with quick, efficient strokes that keep the audience locked in.
The screenplay’s weakness is its predictability, every twist and escape mechanic arrives with convenient timing, and character motivations remain underexplained relative to the plot’s stakes. The second half leans heavier on exposition and action density, and the momentum noticeably wobbles.
Anand’s direction prioritises star entrances and set-piece framing over narrative nuance, which works for the film’s commercial ambitions even as it limits its dramatic ceiling. The gloss is intentional; the depth is not.
Deepika Padukone And The Supporting Architecture
Deepika Padukone functions as both action partner and narrative pivot, her character’s betrayal-and-alliance structure holding the middle section together. She matches SRK’s energy in the combat passages and brings a crispness to her scenes that the film’s looser writing sometimes needs.
Dimple Kapadia grounds the intelligence-structure authority with her briefing-room presence, giving the mission framework a gravitas the plot often lacks. Ashutosh Rana serves as the institutional bridge between Pathaan and RAW, functional in his role but never given enough to make it memorable.
Prakash Belawadi’s brief appearance as Dr. Shahani signals the film’s attempt to build a wider espionage ecosystem, even if the character remains a plot device rather than a person.
The Besharam Rang Controversy And The Box Office Verdict
The song “Besharam Rang” triggered public controversy over costume and styling before release, drawing political and social criticism that only amplified the film’s visibility. That controversy became part of the film’s marketing machinery, converting outrage into curiosity.
The numbers tell their own story: the film opened at ₹57 crore India net and ₹106 crore worldwide on day one, per Wikipedia’s summary of reported collections, before reaching ₹284 crore India net and ₹500 crore worldwide in its first week. FilmiBeat’s report on the first-week figures captured the scale of the phenomenon, and the final worldwide gross exceeding ₹1, 050 crore against a ₹250 crore budget made the verdict unambiguous.
Taran Adarsh called it “a complete entertainer with action, emotions, patriotism, humour, thrill, and star power, ” and that assessment holds. I would only add that the entertainment is real, even when the craft behind it is uneven.
Critics landed at 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise concentrated on SRK’s screen presence and the action scale, while complaints centred on predictability and weak VFX in specific sequences. Both readings are fair, the film is a spectacle first and a story second, and it never pretends otherwise.
For more on the biggest blockbusters and the craft behind them, browse our Hindi Thriller reviews.
Pathaan is best experienced on IMAX or a large-screen format, where the action scale and SRK’s comeback framing land with maximum impact. If you are a fan, this is a religious experience; if you want tightly written realism, you are in the wrong theatre. It is a blockbuster that knows exactly what it is and delivers precisely that.
Pathaan earns a solid 3.5 out of 5, a star-driven spectacle that compensates for its formulaic plot with sheer, undeniable force.
For a deeper look at how comeback narratives shape action cinema, check out Lee Cronin review.
If you are curious about how star power carries uneven scripts, Rosie verdict offers a different kind of lesson.
Ankit Jaiswal is the Chief Author, covering Indian cinema and OTT releases with honest, no-filler criticism. An SEO strategist by background, he brings a research-driven approach to film writing, cutting through hype to tell you exactly what's worth your time.