After months of anticipation, Shah Rukh Khan has finally unveiled the teaser trailer for his upcoming action extravaganza Pathaan. Classified as what can only be described as Bollywood royalty, Khan is among the most recognizable faces in the world with a legion of supporters following the star since his 1992 debut in the Indian film industry. Pathaan is the first of SRK’s projects to grace the silver screen in over four years. His last appearance was in the 2018 rom-com Zero.
In honor of the Bollywood megastar’s birthday, King Khan — as he is often hailed — debuted the first look at his upcoming action epic, directed by Siddharth Anand, in a fast-paced one-minute-and-a-half teaser. The Yash Raj Films opening sequence kicks off with a narrator seemingly wondering about the whereabouts of Pathaan, who appears to be something of a legend in the grapevine. “What do you know about Pathaan? There’s been no sign of him for three years.” The voiceover is dramatically cut with clips of SRK as Pathaan screaming in agony as he is chained, beaten, and tortured repeatedly in a dimly-lit room. “He was caught in his last mission, I’ve heard he was tortured brutally. I don’t know if he’s dead or…,” the narrator continues. His monologue is ruthlessly interrupted with Pathaan boldly declaring himself “alive” as blood drips from his mouth before he erupts into a maniacal laugh. Then, as if he’s been waiting years for the moment, Pathaan is seen taking down a small army of men as he breaks free of his confinement with a series of perfectly choreographed kicks, powerhouse punches, and a number of bullets for good measure. As he stands to his feet, triumphant, audiences are given a first real look at SRK as a rough and rugged Pathaan with cascading locks and a beard — which SRK has only ever sported a handful of times on-screen over the years.
The teaser then catapults into an epic showdown between Khan and John Abraham's character as the pair go toe-to-toe on a moving train with Dubai as their backdrop. In what feels very Mission Impossible, Pathaan is seen dressed in a spy-esque suit as he takes his battle across land, sea, and skies with rocket launchers, military planes, over-ice stunts, and good old fashion ground combat, packing the action into the trailer. Audiences are also given a first look at Deepika Padukone’s character as she covertly takes out an enemy or two of her own and embarks on what appears to be a romance with Pathaan as the pair are seen in steamy proximity. The clip wraps with Pathaan grittily declaring, “fasten your seatbelts, there’s a storm coming,” before launching a plane into the air at an astonishing 90-degree angle.
Pathaan is SRK’s first venture since he publicly announced his decision to step away from his signature romantic hero roles, such as those in blockbusters Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which earned him the hearts and unwavering loyalty of fans around the world. In a candid video, 57-year-old SRK said he felt "too old to do romantic films now," admitting it can be "awkward at times" when filming with actresses significantly younger than him.
In what is expected to be a very busy year for the legendary actor, Pathaan is SRK’s first of three films slated for a 2023 release. His second project Jawan is tipped to be an action feast and whilst further details on his third film Dunki are yet to be unveiled. Pathaan lands in theaters on January 25. You can watch the teaser trailer below.