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Writer's pictureSajeev Varghese

"Pathaan": A Spectacular Sacrifice of The Storytelling Craft

Updated: Sep 17



Bollywood, where spectacle often trumps substance, "Pathaan" stands as a stark emblem of this adage, attempting to weave an intricate tapestry of espionage and patriotism yet faltering in the very threads that should bind it—story and storytelling craft.


The high-octane action drama, was Shah Rukh Khan's much-anticipated leap back into the limelight, aiming to dazzle with a mix of espionage, patriotism, and super-spy charisma. Yet, despite the star-studded cast and a premise that promised to be as explosive as the biochemical weapon at its heart, "Pathaan" found itself tangled in a web of its own making, unable to break free from the shadows of its predecessors in the "Yash Raj Films Spy Universe."



At the heart of "Pathaan" lies a conceptual paradox: an ambitious spy thriller that underutilizes the very essence of storytelling—believability. The disjointed narrative, embellished with overproduced action sequences that bear the brunt of poor image composition, strains credulity. The attempt to knit together a team of Hindi-language-speaking action heroes, while conceptually intriguing, ends up feeling more like a contrived congregation rather than a coherent ensemble, further exacerbated by scenes where key characters seem dislocated from the action unfolding around them.



The emotional engagement within "Pathaan" remains superficial at best. Characters, including the titular Pathaan, navigate through a narrative that demands a suspension of disbelief so vast that it alienates rather than endears. The character interactions, meant to evoke a spectrum of emotions from camaraderie to romantic tension, often feel stilted, bereft of the chemistry that binds relationships in a narrative fabric. This emotional detachment is mirrored in the audience's experience, where the spectacle fails to compensate for the lack of depth.



Intellectual stimulation, a facet where espionage thrillers have the potential to excel, is notably absent. The plot, with its globe-trotting escapades and high-stakes conflict, could have been a fertile ground for nuanced exploration of themes such as patriotism, morality, and sacrifice. Instead, "Pathaan" opts for a surface-level engagement with these themes, presenting them in a manner that neither challenges the intellect nor invites reflection. The narrative, rather than being a cleverly woven puzzle that the audience is invited to unravel, becomes a predictable trajectory toward an inevitable conclusion.



Relevance and meaningfulness, critical aspects that elevate a story from mere entertainment to a reflective mirror of society, remain elusive. The film's overt nationalism and the simplistic dichotomy it draws between heroism and villainy lack the subtlety and complexity that mark significant storytelling. In an era where cinema is increasingly scrutinized for its portrayal of geopolitics and societal values, "Pathaan" misses the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to these conversations, opting instead for a portrayal that borders on caricature.



Moreover, the storytelling craft itself, the backbone of any cinematic endeavor, appears neglected. The narrative is riddled with clichés and conveniences that undermine its integrity. Characters are reduced to archetypes, their development sacrificed at the altar of spectacle. The dialogue oscillates between the corny and the expository, failing to resonate or reveal. Scenes intended to be pivotal or emotionally charged, instead feel orchestrated and devoid of genuine sentiment.




The catastrophic disaster that is Pathaan exemplifies everything that goes wrong when a film loses sight of storytelling craft. YRF and director Siddharth Anand appear to have been seduced by the allure of high-octane, big-budget spectacle, only to leave the core elements of narrative cohesion, character depth, and emotional engagement behind. What we get instead is a patchwork of borrowed visuals and incoherent sequences that draw heavily from Jason Bourne, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Mission: Impossible, without bringing anything original to the table. It's a movie that knows exactly what kind of cinematic spectacle it wants to be but has no idea how to execute it with any authenticity, grace, or cool factor.


Scenes meant to be dramatic or seductive instead teeter into surreal camp. Take, for instance, the scene where Pathaan finds Rubina casually floating in a pool, only to discover Jim lurking behind her like some pantomime villain. This moment, which should have been finessed into a clever reveal, is tonally jarring and unintentionally hilarious, with none of the confidence or style it so desperately wants to convey. The entire film teeters between half-baked espionage intrigue and outlandish action stunts that, while visually arresting at times, fail to land with any emotional or narrative weight.


Even the film's big set pieces—whether they're zany wire stunts or helicopter chases—feel disconnected from any real tension or stakes. Instead of capitalizing on the gravitas and screen presence of its leading man, Shah Rukh Khan, Pathaan buries its star beneath layers of over-editing, lackluster camerawork, and limp choreography. What should have been an epic, cliffside brawl between Pathaan and Jim, their climactic face-off, falls flat—undercut by shaky direction and an inability to commit to the grandeur it’s trying to achieve fully.


The ensemble cast is wasted in the chaos, their performances as mismanaged as the film's tonal inconsistencies. Even Salman Khan, in a cameo role that should have brought energy and fun to the proceedings, seems to be phoning it in, disassociated from the carnage around him. His line, "I'm having a blast, are you?" encapsulates the forced enthusiasm that permeates Pathaan. This movie desperately wants to thrill but ends up only exhausting its audience with a spectacle devoid of substance.


Ultimately, Pathaan serves as a cautionary tale about what happens when style eclipses storytelling, leaving behind a hollow, forgettable mess.



In the vibrant world of Bollywood, where storytelling should reign supreme, "samosa critics" like Taran Adarsh wield significant influence despite their limited understanding of the craft. Adarsh, primarily a trade analyst known for his number-crunching prowess, tweeted a glowing "One Word Review" of "Pathaan," calling it a "BLOCKBUSTER" and showering it with 4.5 /5.0 stars. He praised the film's star power, style, and spectacle without delving into the core elements that truly make a film impactful: its story and storytelling craft. Such reviews, devoid of critical depth and focused on surface-level attributes, often mislead audiences and elevate films based on hype rather than substance. It's a reminder that in the world of cinema, true critique should go beyond the glamour and address the heart of filmmaking—the narrative and its execution. Go figure.


The IMDb audience ratings for "Pathaan" reveal a stark and troubling picture of audience reception, starkly deviating from the expected Gaussian Normal Distribution. With a staggering 40% of ratings at 10 stars and 26.9% at 1 star, the distribution forms a bimodal curve, contradicting the bell curve typical of genuine audience feedback. This unusual pattern suggests a significant influence of high-octane marketing and possibly manipulated reviews. The central clustering of ratings around 5 to 7 stars is conspicuously underrepresented, further indicating polarized responses rather than a natural spread of opinions. Such a discrepancy highlights the gap between the marketed image of the film and its actual reception, undermining its credibility and audience trust.



"Pathaan" faltered in achieving believability, emotional engagement, intellectual stimulation, relevance, and meaningful impact—key pillars of cinematic success. The polarized IMDb ratings reflect an audience deeply divided, with many feeling disillusioned by the film's overhyped promises. The lack of a coherent, relatable narrative and emotionally resonant characters left viewers disconnected, while the film's intellectual shallowness failed to provoke thought or discussion. Additionally, the film's themes did not resonate with contemporary issues, rendering it irrelevant to modern audiences. This combination of factors culminated in "Pathaan" being perceived as an epic failure, despite the marketing blitz, highlighting the essential need for authenticity and depth in storytelling to truly captivate and move audiences.

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