I know why #Pathaan is such a box office hit ! No, it's not Shah Rukh Khan; not the story, nor the writing nor the characters. Definitely not the action. Read on to discover what happened as the 57 year old superstar reclaims his rightful throne of the Badshah of Bollywood after a very long hiatus, with his first foray into mainstream commercial action cinema. The YRF spy universe across-the-world action caper is running to packed theaters across the globe and has salvaged not just the country by way of script but the larger Hindi cinema fortunes at a meta level. For SRK personally, the boyish exuberance is back after some the misfires of four years ago when he starred in #WhenHarryMetSejal and #Zero.
First, #Pathaan plays to SRK’s strengths. In many ways, brand SRK is like brand Cadburys in India; a brand that people love enough to almost WILL it back on to the shelves , worms or no worms. The nervous energy, awkward hand movement , teenage heartthrob smile are all back, the cheeky humour and the terrible one liners that only he can carry off are also back. There are two key differences though - One, he plays his age, he is weary, physically tired, bleeding and worn out. Yes he gets the intro and the entry sequences but the stylish settings, costumes and dialogues are all the prerogative of the villain Jim ‘gym’ (#JohnAbraham). Yes SRK has his few moments of six-pack display, beads and style in that song sequence in Spain but it's always too little too few. The other difference is that he embraces all out action when it's time in his own way and eschews the tentativeness that was his hallmark. This is perhaps a well thought out way of targeting the younger male audiences that were perhaps alienated in the avataar of the ultimate romantic heartthrob that he has imbibed.
#SiddarthAnand’s story and direction plays to a narrative that is locked into nostalgia, old versus new and durability over power. SRK’s hero is not the man who is always on top; rather he is the epitome of vulnerability. To that extent, he remains consistent with his core - he is an action hero transformed out of the vulnerable romantic hero that propelled him to superstardom a few decades ago. He doesn't fight it; he doesn't transform, he doesn't become the alpha male. If you notice, he is content to be protected by the woman, he addresses his superior #DimpleKapadia as ma'am with no sarcasam, contempt or malice. It is almost like the hand that would rise up nervously and brush through his own hair twenty years ago now caresses the villain’s face before punching the living daylights out of him!
This theme of nostalgia has always worked. Look at #TomCruise, #BruceWillis or #SylvesterStallone. The narrative of old versus new, the premise of traditional old-world experience pitted against new tech, gizmos and gadgetry makes for fascinating viewing. And then you have (spoiler alert) Tiger #SalmanKhan with that delightful little cameo, the checked keffiyeh dropping down from the roof of the train is enough to let the wolf whistles take over! In that super cute act at the end, the Khans have a ball as SRK says “You know, sometimes I think it’s time to stop. It’s been thirty years!”. Salman looks unconvinced and the two go on with the banter of how no one is ready to don the mantle. Not as yet!
However, the success of #Pathaan stems from a meta narrative that is work beneath all the blitzkrieg action. It is a narrative of who is the true patriot - the one who is wronged by his country and yet remains loyal irrespective of religion or domicile or faith - or the mercenary who leverages religion as currency to wage a war against his country. This is not the conventional good versus bad story; it is the story of the old versus the new. It is a story of redemption and the underdog who takes the blows, blood streaked and broken bones but still holds the flag high. Contrast that with the villain who has ‘Patriot’ tattooed on his neck but is a pariah dog living in some distant land and plotting the downfall of his mother land even as he walks to the tune of ‘Ae mere watan ke logon’. It is a very sharp, intelligent take on the state of the country and the society today. It is a story on the world stage but it is the story of the problems in the country today.
#JohnAbraham as the villain Jim is at his best with the stilted dialogues, the devilish humour, the hot pants and the ripped muscles. The Jim signature music plays as he ties the cables connecting the two helicopters on to a hook atop the bus in that kidnapping action scene in Dubai. #DeepikaPadukone as Rubai the ISI operative is not just a wallflower, She is every bit the soldier and the supermodel and the action queen as she handles the enormous guns with ease. She also flaunts the orange bikini and sarong (that has been the subject of great scrutiny) with aplomb. #AshutoshRana and #DimpleKapadia are in their elements as the leaders in the counter intelligence unit.
The action is non-stop. It moves from a kidnapping in Dubai to a heist in Russia to Spain and even to frozen lakes somewhere in the northern hemisphere. It is relentless, video-game like and has everything that you would see in a Bond, Mission Impossible or any other international spy film. The action is over-the-top sometimes ridiculous but never gets you on the edge of your seat. Action Directors #CaseyO’Neil and #SunilRodrigues have a big scale mandate and there is everything you can imagine and more. The chases on the frozen ice or the jet pack chase are prime examples. #ShridharRaghavan’s screenplay , dialogues by #AbbasTyrewala and cinematography by #SatchitPaulose compliment the narrative brilliantly. Yash Raj has always pushed the boundaries when it comes to innovation and the latest trends and #Pathaan does not disappoint. The comic touch with Dimple Kapadia and the hologram of Ashutosh Rana is an example. #Pathaan takes you all over the globe, to unseen locations and the action is conceived on par with anything you would see in any international action film. The execution may not always live up to it though!
SRK revels in the vulnerability that his character is endowed with. He tells Dimple Kapadia that he has so many metal screws and bolts in his body that airport security checks are a nightmare. When Tiger Salman and he meet up, the conversation is as much about painkillers as about their adventures. Only Shah Rukh can pull off the inspid joke about ‘bobbles’ or the take on his film ‘Darr’. You know it is silly and yet you let out an indulgent guffaw. It does not matter; you need the good man, the silent underdog to emerge victorious! As Raj and Rahul transition to Pathaan, the theme is ‘Old is Gold’ and as much about the Japanese concept of Kintsugi where you make something beautiful from broken pieces! He recounts how his parents left him abandoned inside ( of all things merciful God) a cinema theatre... and he tells Rubai "desh ne apni parvarish ki"
Pathan works because it captures the mood of our times beautifully matched with the man who is the epitome of virtue under the circumstances; the underdog who charmed us then and will continue to charm us today. The villain is not the Pakistani institution, it is in fact a rogue Indian, egged on by a dying Pakistani officer. Times have changed, the villain is no more the dacoit, smuggler or murderer; it is no more the foreign country or the terrorist; it is in fact the character within our midst seeking to leverage religion and divisiveness to spread rancour and hatred. And this is what we need to fight ; not with an infallible, invincible superman but with charm, acceptance and openness. Much like that open arms spread out stance that Shah Rukh Khan has made his own for lifetimes to come !
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