REVEALED: Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan to soon release in China, Japan and Latin America; 50% of YRF’s theatrical slate from now on would comprise spy universe films : Bollywood News

Pathaan, produced by Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Films (YRF), was released this year on January 25 and has smashed several records. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, this action entertainer collected a huge Rs. 542.75 crores at the Indian box office and even Overseas, it put up a huge number. The total box office gross collections worldwide stand at more than Rs. 1000 crores.

REVEALED: Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan to soon release in China, Japan and Latin America; 50% of YRF’s theatrical slate from now on would comprise spy universe films

And if you think that the end of Pathaan’s theatrical run is near, then you are mistaken. YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani in interaction with Variety revealed that they now plan to release Pathaan in China, Japan and Latin America.

Over the years, China has emerged as a huge market for Hindi films. Several movies like Dangal (2016), Secret Superstar (2017), Hichki (2018), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), Andhadhun (2018) etc have done huge business in the neighbouring country.

Interestingly, YRF’s Sui Dhaaga – Made In India (2018), starring Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma, will have a grand release in China on March 31. Hichki was also a YRF production and collected well in China. Hence, Akshaye Widhani says that they are confident that even Sui Dhaaga – Made In India can appeal to Chinese audiences. He also stated that Rani Mukerji’s Mardaani 2 (2019) will also arrive in theatres in China since the actress has ‘tremendous equity in China’ due to Hichki’s success.

Coming back to Pathaan, Akshaye Widhani also explained the logic behind the unique marketing strategy of the film. Unlike the traditional model of having events and interview sessions pre-release, YRF, in a rare gesture, chose to hold back Shah Rukh Khan. It worked well as it was the star’s first film in more than 4 years. And him not promoting it extensively on the ground added to the curiosity to see him on screen, said Akshaye.

REVEALED Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan to soon release in China, Japan and Latin America; 50% of YRF’s theatrical slate from now on would comprise spy universe films

Pathaan is a part of YRF Spy Universe, which also comprises Tiger (Salman Khan) and Zoya (Katrina Kaif) from Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) from War (2019). Salman reprised his role as Tiger in a crucial action scene in Pathaan and it added to the craze around the film. In Tiger 3, which releases on Diwali 2023 and which also stars Emraan Hashmi, Shah Rukh Khan will feature in a cameo as Pathaan.

With Spy Universe films being such huge money spinners, there’s no surprise that YRF will be majorly focused on this franchise. Akshaye Widhani stated that 50% of YRF’s theatrical slate from now on would comprise spy universe films and other such big-screen spectacles. However, the rest of the 50% of films would be high-concept, medium-budget films.

Also Read: BREAKING: Yash Raj Films’ Tiger vs Pathaan, starring Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, to go on floors in January 2024