Shahrukh Khan’s explosive comeback in “Pathaan” last year in January, after his self-imposed break from cinema post the release of his box office debacle ‘Zero (2018), literally revived the India’s most celebrated industry known as the Bollywood cinema.
The action thriller completes its first year, released on 25th January 2023, marking a historic day for Indian cinema in many ways.
After a string of box office misses that included off-beat ‘Fan (2016)’ as a flop, ‘Raees (2017)’ and ‘Dilwale (2015)’ as moderate successes and ‘Zero (2018)’ being a big let down, after a four-year hiatus, the King of Bollywood reclaimed his throne with a vengeance, shattering records and injecting much-needed adrenaline into the ailing Hindi film industry railing from the lack of big grosser post pandemic-era.
The euphoria of seeing their favorite actor on the big screen after a lengthy absence was evident from the immense pre-buzz and anticipation seen by the Siddharth Anand-directed Yash Raj Films-helmed ‘Pathaan’ which also boosted references from India’s biggest cinematic universe known as the ‘Spy-Universe’.
The Shah Rukh Khan Effect:
There was absolutely no doubt SRK’s return was going to be seen as an significant event for Bollywood movie industry.
His enduring star power, coupled with “Pathaan”‘s slick action and masala entertainment, his pairing up with ‘Deepika Padukone’ after the successful ‘Chennai Express’, pre-released chartbusters song like ‘Jhoome Jo Pathaan’ and ‘Besharam Rang’, undeniably drew audiences back to theaters in very big numbers.
It reignited the faith of studios and exhibitors in the power of big-budget, star-driven projects. ‘Gadar 2’, ‘Jawan’ and ‘Animal’ followed up with blockbuster response from the Indian audience post ‘Pathaan’s historic arrival.
Moreover, “Pathaan” proved that ‘the most romantic hero of all time’ can own up an action role with such strength and glory that can even defeat the powerful ‘Boycott gang’.
He delivered a nuanced performance as ‘Pathaan’, his entry scene will be talked on for decades, the aging spy grappling with self-doubt and vulnerability, and his trust in seeing the potential of a well-made, star-driven entertainment, high-budgeted film could still serve as a magic bullet in a suffering movie Industry.
The numbers don’t lie:
“Pathaan” shattered Indian box office records, boasting a global lifetime collection of $128.8 million (Rs.1050+ crore), becoming the biggest Bollywood grosser in first phase of release. The movie hit a $50 million gross in overseas market.
But the King wasn’t done as Shah Rukh Khan, just months later, returned with “Jawan,” an action thriller directed by Atlee.
This time, he not only smashed his own “Pathaan” records but the box office collections saw even greater heights.
The success of “Pathaan” and “Jawan” goes beyond mere numbers. The espionage thriller will forever be touted as the film that saved Bollywood.