"Fasten your seat belts, the weather is going to get stormy", declares Shah Rukh Khan in an ominous voice in the teaser of his action drama 'Pathaan' and he lives up to that dramatic and foreboding promise.
The teaser, which he uploaded on his social media accounts on his birthday today, is filled with action, drama, and spectacular stunts. Dubai, the city in which he owns a home in, plays a starring role in the less than two-minute reel.
Khan is in top form along with a fierce and bodacious Deepika Padukone and Bollywood's dishy actor John Abraham. The three are seen executing gravity-defying stunts and look suitably menacing. You can also spot Dubai's skyline in that teaser as Abraham and Khan's character pummel people into the ground. Dubai's Downtown area is featured prominently.
'Pathaan', produced by Yash Raj Films, is one of Khan's most anticipated releases ever since the superstar went on a self-imposed sabbatical after 'Zero' in 2018. Although he has been producing projects, Khan was visibly restrained when it came to choosing his future projects.
While it isn't fair to call it a comeback, 'Pathaan' will remind you why the self-made Khan is one of Bollywood's long enduring heroes. His legendary screen presence and charismatic on-screen personna is there for all to see.
If the trailer is any indication, Khan plays the indefatigable hero who returns after three years on a new mission. Directed by Siddharth Anand of 'Bang Bang' fame and produced by Aditya Chopra, 'Pathaan' seems to be paying homage to the classic Bollywood blockbuster films where a larger-than-life, all-conquering hero can save the world. There's even a scene where you see Khan in a bloody white shirt ready to decimate his rivals and enemies.
There's plenty of style and swagger as Khan returns as the quintessential Bollywood superstar. There's style and possibly substance in plenty.
Both Khan, Padukone, and Abraham are sporting rock-hard abs, which we are not complaining about.
'Pathaan' will be out in globally on January 25.
Director's Cut:
Director of ‘Pathaan’ has revealed that dropping the teaser of Khan’s much-anticipated film was their way of paying it forward to his army of fans globally.
“He, truly, has been ruling the hearts and minds of audiences for decades and ‘Pathaan’ marks his return to the big screen after a gap of four long years. So, while we decided to surprise them all on his birthday, the pressure to deliver was immense,” said Anand in a statement.
He claimed that this film is not just a project for him, but a piece of his heart is attached to this labour of love.
“For us, Pathaan is not just a film, it is an emotion as we are aiming to make the biggest action spectacle with one of the all-time biggest on-screen icons that Indian cinema has ever seen,” he added.
‘Pathaan’, which was partly filmed in Dubai's Downtown area, re-unites Padukone after their blockbuster outings including ‘Om Shanti Om’, ‘Chennai Express’ and ‘Happy New Year’. The two were spotted filming in Spain’s Mallorca, Cadiz, and Jerez when they shot a beach-set song during March.
