This post is for the very few people who are sitting on the fence about watching the Pathaan in the theatres.

Fair warning to all: I am an unapologetic Shah Rukh Khan fan and I have been since 1990. So, as a person who has been fangirling through all the phases of his career, I have no qualms about admitting that I am highly biased when it comes to the King Khan.

But, I am also an INFJ who calls a spade a spade. So, trust me when I say that this post will give you the truth. 

• Watch Pathaan in the theatres if you are a Shah Rukh Khan fan.

A No Brainer. If we go by the Box office collection of Pathaan, I should think that all SRK fans have already checked it out at the theatres. At the same time, I also know that some might be a little apprehensive after the ‘Zero’ experience. Fear not, SRK is hotter than ever, just as charismatic, his screen presence is as enigmatic as ever and he is more grounded in this movie than ever.

• Watch Pathaan in the theatres if you are a Deepika Padukone fan.

Oh yes! She is just as amazing. She is looking toned and gorgeous. But more than that, she is not just an eye-candy (as it has been for ages for women in spy action movies). She has quite a bit of action and she rocks it. And I don’t think that I need to talk about her acting skills - it is a given that she is amazing.

• Watch Pathaan in the theatres if you like SRK-Deepika chemistry.

There is no out an out romance between SRK-Deepika in Pathaan. Both are agents, who are working towards their goals. Yet, there is something. Their chemistry is only second to SRK-Kajol, and as such it is unavoidable. You’ll love seeing them on-screen together - again!

• Watch Pathaan in the theatres if you love John Abraham.

I am NOT a John Abraham fan, yet I enjoyed seeing him onscreen. He looks fitter than ever. And he even manages a few expressions to shock the audience like me {Do you know what I mean?} He is nothing like what he is in Satyameva Jayate 2/3. A different avatar that’s more like OG Dhoom badass - cool and glamorous antagonist.

• Watch this movie if you are a Salman Khan fan.

Let’s not even pretend that his cameo is a surprise. It’s been all over the internet for months. And it’s not just a cameo, it is an extended cameo where ‘Karan-Arjun’ do what they do best. Action! Their chemistry together is something to behold, especially now that SRK is stepping up his own action game. Plus the camaraderie and the inside jokes keep you entertained.

For the sake of full disclosure, I have a strong dislike for Salman, and haven’t watched any of his films since ‘Tere Naam’ yet his cameo in the movie made me wonder whether I should go back and watch the two Tiger movies.

• Watch Pathaan in the theatres because it is a total fan service movie.

If you haven’t caught up onto it yet, the movie is a vehicle for SRK’s return to big screen. Everything in the movie revolves around how to give more of him to the fans. But also it serves other fans as well - whether John or Deepika or Salman or the mass entertainment lovers. There are multiple ‘Hero-shots’ with 5 seconds of almost nothing going on to give time to the audience to hoot & cheer for their favourite stars (and sometimes a salute to the past). It just will not be the same experience if you have decided to watch it when it comes to OTT in April. 

• Watch Pathaan in the theatres if you love over the top action.

Did you love the action in MI series, the Fast & Furious movies? Well, Pathaan offers you all the logic defying action scenes - in the air, on the ice, on top of a train - you name it and the movie has it. Indian industry is finally catching up on serious VFX, but it has a way to go still with the budget that Indian movies work with. Also, once again the action scenes are such that it is best when watched on a large screen. It will NOT be the same on tv & tabs.

• Watch this movie if you have always wanted a macho spy, but with a vulnerable side.

'Wanted to make SRK the symbol of alpha and machismo!’ Siddharth Anand

When I read this article, I was really shaking my head at Siddharth Anand. Really? Do we really need another spy/action star who just fights, shoots, looks cool doing it and be that ‘mard ko dard nahi hota’ type of hero? Let’s not forget what made SRK the icon of love and romance; in a time when heroes were doing the traditional ’macho’ roles, SRK was showing emotions, crying on screen & helping his ladies in the kitchen.

But Siddharth Anand knew his task well and I say that because he made Pathaan more real than any other spies we have ever known. Pathaan isn’t scared of showing signs of fatigue during fight scenes or asking for time-out in the middle of a fight or shedding a tear. SRK as Pathaan is a new kind of alpha male. He is someone who is willing to stand back and let the girl fight for once or take orders from a woman - and it doesn’t hurt his ego to do so.

• This movie is for all those who enjoy spotting easter eggs.

From reference to War, Darr, Karan Arjun… etc, the side effect of the fan service that this movie delivers is that it is littered with references of other films and characters. It was complete fun spotting those through the movie. My personal favourite is of course the Darr reference - it was silly but hilarious.

• Pathaan is a mass entertainer that doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

In recent times I have watched so many movies that are so pretentious trying to be serious cinema while giving into Bollywood clichés to ensure that it still appeals to the masses for the sake of box-office collections. Then there have been mass movies that took themselves too seriously and I do not even want to get into all the remakes! Pathaan is none of that. It is a mass entertainer that has been made to service the fans and it doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

• Make a statement.

Last, but certainly not the least; it’s probably the most important point on this list. While I was all for the call for ‘Justice for SSR’ at the beginning, we all know that the actual incident is no longer relevant to what certain sections of the society are using the slogans for. I am not even going to use the ‘B’ word because I am tired of being told what to eat, what to wear, where I can or cannot go, what I can and cannot do. Now people are trying to dictate what we watch too. What’s next? Should I be also be told how much oxygen I can breathe in a minute?

Being an SRK fan, I was going to go for first day first show anyway. But this gang made sure that I went with a fan club so that I could just scream, dance & laugh when SRK came on screen and flip off the gangs in my own way.

This negativity has been spreading for a while and I know that I felt like a non-entity and wondered how could someone as small & insignificant as me can make a difference. But now SRK is making a statement (without speaking a word) with this movie that has made the way for a lot of other influential people (who probably feared a backlash) to come out and stand in support of him

Let’s do it - let us go and watch Pathaan and start claiming our basic rights back with this step. It’s no longer just about watching a movie - whether you love or hate the cast & crew or the kind of movie it is - doesn’t matter… It has now become a matter of whether you are going to let people continue to dictate our lives, encourage threats and vandalism in the name of nationalism and whether or not YOU believe that YOU have a right to decide what is right or wrong.

I rest my case. Now it’s your turn to tell me whether you will watch it in the theatres or not. And if you have watched it in the theatres, what was your experience?

What a day it has been for me today.

So, the Pathan Teaser dropped today around 11am and its kind of breaking the internet and drowning out Boycott Bollywood and Boycott Pathan noise - as its should. Have you seen the teaser yet? What did you think?

‘Zinda hai’ is more likely him confirming what us the SRK-ians have been saying all along. He is back and it seems it will be with a bang! With an action packed trailer and him looking better than ever, we are going to have fun. You naysayers can keep saying stuff, it hasn’t mattered to us in the last 30 years, and it won’t matter now.

With ‘War’ as a reference, I am not expecting a good storyline. In fact I am almost expecting a flawed story. At the same time with SRK & Deepika on screen, the acting will be much better than War for sure. And I hope that the action is as good as War if not better. I am excited!

I also had the awesome opportunity to go watch Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge on the screens today. People kept telling me that you have already watched it so many times, why go to the theatres again? Well, I am glad that once again I did not let the naysayers stop me because it was an experience of a lifetime!

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A post shared by Debdatta Dasgupta (@debdattadg)

Let me tell you, it’s a weekday and I went for the Noon show not expecting much crowd. But only one man can draw the crowd like that with a 27 year old film. Yes folks, it was housefull! About 95% of the crowd were under 25 and I am pretty sure this was their first time watching DDLJ on a big screen like that. Yet I doubt there was anyone who was watching it for the first time.

The environment was electric - like being in a live concert. People were cheering throughout - not only for the entry scenes but for all the iconic moments of the film. There were people calling out the dialogues in advance and singing and dancing along the songs!

It’s an experience I cannot describe and something I will probably remember for the rest of my life.