My Cultural Diet

In 2019, the Indian government revoked Article 370 of their constitution, which granted autonomy to the heavily contested regions of Jammu and Kashmir. In the real world, this led to controversy and criticism. But in the world of the “YRF Spy Universe,” a Pakistani general goes rogue and hires a terrorist organization to exact revenge on India. The only one who can stop the terrorists and their leader, the diabolical Jim — yes, dear reader, Pathaan’s BBEG is named Jim — is the titular hero, an elite agent who’s been presumed dead after a mission went horribly wrong. In its best moments, Pathaan is utterly ridiculous in all the right ways, from the over-the-top melodrama and patriotic spirit (which are further enhanced by Shah Rukh Khan’s smoldering looks and deep voice) to some truly bonkers action sequences. I laughed every time the wind caught Pathaan’s hair (indoors, even!) or when a character relies on her speed skating skills during a chase scene. And don’t get me started on the movie’s aerial sequences, which break more than a few laws of physics. Unfortunately, many of Pathaan’s action sequences are edited to within an inch of their lives. The constant cuts on every single punch, kick, and hit make the Bourne films look like Tarkovsky by comparison and get rather headache-inducing over the course of two and a half hours.

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