Bollywood’s King Khan is back on the silver screens after a long time. With three films in 2023, this year is expected to be a game-changer for the actor. His first release, Pathaan, has been released as Republic Day special. Critics and audiences have been showering their love and calling it a blockbuster. Ahead of the release, buzz about digital rights has already made it to the news. It has off to a great start at the box office, and the business is expected to pick up on the holidays.
Pathaan: OTT Release Details – When and Where to watch it online
Media reports state that the digital rights for Pathaan have been given to an OTT giant. Post the theatrical run, fans can watch Pathaan on Amazon Prime Video. Details about the digital release of the film are awaited. Pathaan will release in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. The movie will be premiering on the said platform in April 2023. As per the industry reports, the date has been set at April 25 (which is exactly three months post its theatrical release). The makers and Amazon Prime Video have not yet confirmed the date, and it seems to be an unlikely day since it is a Tuesday and most big OTT releases are slated for weekends.
Meanwhile, Pathaan was released globally, in IMAX, on January 25, 2023. It is the first release of the year from Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) spy universe. Previously, the production house, in a similar space, has released films like Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and War (2019).
Pathaan: Cast and Crew
Written and directed by Siddharth Anand, Pathaan is presented as a spy-action film. Produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films’ banner, the film has already garnered immense interest from the audience worldwide and had a bumper opening at the box office. This will also be the fourth film from the YRF Spy Universe. Besides Shah Rukh Khan, Pathaan stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in significant roles. SRK will be seen in the titular role after the 2018-release Zero, which did not make a mark at the box office.
The story has been co-written by Siddharth Anand, Shridhar Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala. The cinematography has been managed by Satchith Paulose, and the editing has been done by Aarif Sheikh. Eminent composer duo Vishal-Shekhar has given the music for the film.
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Pathaan: Trailer and Premise
Not much has been revealed about the story; however, as per the trailer, Pathaan revolves around a RAW field operative who has been exiled for a long time. He will be assigned to a special operation to take down a private terrorist organization which has been planning attacks on India. John Abraham is seen as an antagonist in the film. The synopsis, as mentioned in IMDb reads, “Somewhere in the dystopian Middle East, grand houses that once housed the wealthy are now homes of the city’s most-dangerous criminals. An undercover cop, his ex-con, and others will take down the drug lord who killed his own father.”
Pathaan: Pre-release controversy
Filming of Pathaan began in November 2020 in Mumbai. However, it was later moved to Dubai. Several concerns were faced by the team due to COVID-19 regulations. Members of the crew also tested positive for the viral infection, and the schedule was pushed several times, with the film being completed in two years, in March 2022, at Yash Raj. Pathaan has been shot in multiple locations across France, Italy, Spain, Afghanistan, UAE, Turkey, India, and Russia.
The team also faced controversy after the release of the first song, Besharam Rang, where members from right-wing Hindu groups stated that the film promotes obscenity. Questions were raised regarding the permission given for the song and the credibility of the film board, owing to which CBFC instructed the production house to make some changes citing culture and faith.