Pathaan writer reveals the lines that make him ‘cringe’

• Shah Rukh was the inspiration for my writing.
• Pathaan speaks of himself in the third person.
• Pathaan dialogue writer tells us what went behind creating.

The winning combo of director Siddharth Anand, screenwriter Sridhar Raghavan, and dialogue writer Abbas Tyrewala has revived interest in Bollywood blockbusters with the release of 2019’s War and the upcoming Pathaan. At its best, Pathaan is a star-driven blockbuster that is aware that it is one, in addition to being the vehicle for SRK’s comeback. A properly executed fan-service-driven celebrity vehicle that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The humorous, self-aware speech of Abbas Tyrewala plays a key role in that. In the past, Abbas has written the dialogue for several different movies, such as Salaam Namaste, Main Hoon Na, and Munna Bhai MBBS. In addition, he produced his own movies, including the cherished Jaane Tu Yaa Jaane Naa.

Abbas talked to me over the phone about creating Pathaan’s sewti moments, fusing Pathaan’s persona with SRK’s presence, and the now-famous scene with SRK and Salman in the post-credits.

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Just watching people enjoy a movie in this way has been extremely amazing. We haven’t seen this kind of celebration or aisle-dancing in a long time, but everybody were celebrating and having a good time. In addition, even though I’m thrilled to be a part of the movie and my work on Pathaan was finished two years before the release, I actually loved those lines more as a viewer because I don’t recall writing many of them (laughs).

Both Shah Rukh and a film that would truly amuse them were in high demand. I believe it has taken a while for fans to rediscover their affinity to Hindi movies. As a result of recent events in which Shah Rukh behaved with such impeccable dignity, I believe that many people felt a strong sense of sympathy for him. I believe that people wanted to see him succeed once more. And no marketing team can plan for or predict those situations.

In a recent interview, Siddharth Anand stated that the dialogue in his screenplays is the last thing he focuses on. He advised waiting until the star is on board to begin writing the dialogue so that it may be tailored to them. How was the dialogue created with Shah Rukh Khan’s star power in mind?

Sid is entirely correct. Shah Rukh was the inspiration for my writing. However, it isn’t always the case. For instance, in War, I wrote for the character of Kabir rather than for Hrithik. There, rather than the dialogue, it was the way Kabir was presented that made Hrithik look like a Greek god.

It’s more important to write lines that someone with the appropriate level of flamboyance or self-deprecation can pull off rather than creating a line that only he could say. Having someone like Pathaan, who speaks of himself in the third person, is an example of a challenging situation. When he says, “Party Pathaan ke ghar main rakhoge toh mehman nawazi ke liye Pathaan toh aayega”. for example.

That is the case. Any feeling can easily transition from its extreme to its antithesis. When someone’s love of the country has become the centre of his existence to the point where he feels deceived and decides to hate the country instead, the intensity of his passion is equal to the intensity of his hatred. It’s similar to a poisonous ex-lover: I used to love you so passionately that I would sacrifice my life for you, but now I despise you to the point where I would kill you. That zealous mindset is exactly what led to Jim’s situation.

I wish I had more information on that one, but from the perspective of the screenplay, Pathaan’s backstory and antecedents were already planned out. Since I was excluded from the talks concerning the history and messages of Pathaan, I can only express my admiration for it. The humanity of a complete community becoming a family was what I appreciated, personally.

The idea that even though you don’t identify as a Hindu or Muslim and your family is in a village in a different country, you can still celebrate Eid with them without going into the religion of it. I adore this kind of benevolent, admirable, liberal, secular outlook on life. I adore it when people are kind, giving, and appreciative of one another, and Pathaan’s character and Shah Rukh’s persona so beautifully exemplify that. That spirit of kindness and acceptance of others. I believe that has been the film’s high point more than anything else. A warm, kind response to Shah Rukh and, perhaps, to one another.

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