Pathaan (2023 Film)

About

Pathaan is a Bollywood action-thriller starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham. The film was directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by YRF films. In the months leading up to Pathaan's release, the film came under public and media scrutiny for its supposed anti-Hindu messaging, with right-wing groups in India admonishing "obscene" imagery in the song "Besharam Rang" in December 2022. After the film's release in January 2023, it became the subject of various memes both mocking and supporting a "boycott" campaign against Pathaan in particular and Bollywood in general.

Background

On March 2nd, 2022, Shah Rukh Khan took to his Twitter^[1] to release the first public announcement of his then-upcoming film Pathaan, saying, "I know it’s late… But remember the date… Pathaan time starts now…" The post gathered over 84,000 likes in nearly 11 months (seen below).

I know it’s late… But remember the date… Pathaan time starts now…

See you in cinemas on 25th January, 2023.

Releasing in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Celebrate #Pathaan with #YRF50 only at a big screen near you. deepikapadukone</a> |<a href="https://twitter.com/TheJohnAbraham?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">TheJohnAbraham | #SiddharthAnand | @yrf pic.twitter.com/dm30yLDfF7

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 2, 2022

Developments

Besharam Rang Saffron Bikini Controversy

On December 12th, 2022, YouTube channel YRF^[2] posted the music video to the song ""Besharam Rang":https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/besharam-rang/ from the 2023 film Pathaan. The video gathered over 39 million views in two days (seen below).

The song and music video became a topic of conversation soon after its release, partly due to people ridiculing its choreography, and partly due to religious backlash over the dress worn by actress Deepika Padukone. Various Hindu activist groups raised objections to the saffron shade of orange worn by Padukone due to its close association with Hindu culture.

On December 14th, 2022, the Twitter^[3] account for State Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr Narottam Mishra, released a statement that translates to, "Actress Deepika Padukone supporting Tukde Tukde gang in the song of the film #Pathan. The costumes are highly objectionable and the song has been shot with a dirty mindset. The scenes and costumes of the songs should be corrected, otherwise, whether the film should be allowed in Madhya Pradesh or not, it would be a matter of consideration." The tweet gathered over 24,000 likes in over a month (seen below).

फिल्म #Pathan के गाने में टुकड़े-टुकड़े गैंग की समर्थक अभिनेत्री दीपिका पादुकोण की
वेशभूषा बेहद आपत्तिजनक है और गाना दूषित मानसिकता के साथ फिल्माया गया है।
गाने के दृश्यों व वेशभूषा को ठीक किया जाए अन्यथा फिल्म को मध्यप्रदेश में अनुमति दी जाए या नहीं दी जाए,यह विचारणीय होगा। pic.twitter.com/Ekl20ClY75

— Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) December 14, 2022

The political and religious backlash against the song was met with resistance from various media commentators. On December 15th, 2022, Twitter^[4] user @ReallySwara posted a tweet that translates to, "Meet the ruling politicians of our country.. If you had free time to look at the clothes of actresses, who knows, you would have done some work as well?!? 🙏🏽🤷🏽‍♀️😬" The post gathered over 36,000 likes in over a month (seen below).

On December 15th, 2022, Twitter^[5] account @ANI posted a video of veteran actor Amitabh Bacchan speaking at a film festival in Kolkatta, saying, "Even now, questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression." The post gathered over 67,000 plays and 700 likes in over a month (seen below).

#WATCH | "Even now, questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression": Amitabh Bachchan at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival pic.twitter.com/ycBY5LhRP2

— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2022

Boycott Pathaan

Protests against the film by various right-wing groups continued in some Indian states. On January 4th, members of the group Bajrang Dal tore down the posters of the film in an Ahmedabad mall and posted video footage to the Twitter^[6] page @Bajrangdal_Guj posted videos of the vandalism, with a tweet that translates to, "Today in Karnavati Bajrangi washed #पठान , anti-Sanatan Dharma @iamsrk and Tukde gang @deepikapadukone movies will not be allowed to run now. Warned by going to the multiplex, if the movie is released, #बजरंगदल will show his attitude. At BajrangDal Maidan in honor of Dharma." The tweet gathered over 24,000 views and 500 likes in two weeks (seen below).

#BoycottPathanMovie
कर्णावती में आज बजरंगीयो ने #पठान की धुलाई की, सनातन धर्म विरोधी iamsrk</a> और टुकड़े गैंग की <a href="https://twitter.com/deepikapadukone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">deepikapadukone की मूवी अब नही चलने देंगे।
मल्टीप्लेक्स में जाकर चेतावनी दी, मूवी रिलीज की तो #बजरंगदल अपना तेवर दिखाए गा।
धर्म के सम्मान में BajrangDal मैदान में। pic.twitter.com/cth0STQRbj

— Bajrang Dal Gujarat (@Bajrangdal_Guj) January 4, 2023

On January 17th, 2023, News18^[7] tweeted a headline about Indian Prime Minister Modi urging people to refrain from making "unnecessary remarks" on films (seen below, left). On January 21st, Assam Home Minister^[8] posted a tweet in response to the vandalism of a movie theater screening Pathaan in his state (seen below). The minister has previously remarked that he did not know who Shah Rukh Khan was when asked for a comment on the vandalism (seen below, right).

Reception

On January 25th, Redditor^[9] /u/willing_candle_4260 posted a video to the subreddit /r/bollywoodblindsngossip, showing an audience in theaters dancing and enjoying the ending credits of Pathaan, with the cameraman heard saying, "Bhai craze," or "Bro craze." The post gathered over 1,900 upvotes in a day (seen below).

Pathaan opened to generally favorable reviews despite the various religious controversies engulfing its release. On January 27th, 2023, Twitter user and notable pop-culture critic KRK posted a tweet^[10] that read, "I was insisting and asking @iamsrk to change name #Pathaan. But he was sure that this name is perfect. And finally he has proved that he is still Badshah of Bollywood and I am a “Jandu Baam” in front of him.🤪😂" The tweet gathered over 18,000 likes in nearly a day (seen below, left). On January 26th, director and producer Ran Gopal Verma posted a tweet^[11] about Pathaan as well, gathering over 16,000 likes in a day (seen below, right).

Search Interest

External References