Siddharth Anand reacts to Pathaan facing boycott, says audience sees through agenda: We underestimate their intelligence

Filmmaker Siddharth Anand, whose latest film Pathaan broke several records, has spoken about the film facing a boycott ahead of its release. In a new interview, Siddharth responded if he has ‘checkmated the boycott brigade’. Siddharth said that he didn’t have to say anything as the audience’s reaction spoke volumes. Calling the audience ‘too smart’, he also added that the viewers ‘see through any agenda’. (Also Read | Pathaan beats Dangal as the highest grossing film in Hindi, collects ₹729 crore worldwide)

Helmed by Siddharth, Pathaan features Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, and Deepika Padukone. Pathaan was embroiled in a controversy after the release of the film’s Besharam Rang song last year. It received criticism from many due to the saffron colour of Deepika’s bikini in it. Some people found the song objectionable over the use of saffron and green costumes. The film even faced a boycott trend on social media.

In an interview with Times of India, Siddharth spoke about the boycott trend, “I didn’t say anything, I don’t have to say anything. The audience has said it. The fact that the audiences came in such huge numbers means they knew that there was nothing to what these calls were trying to say. So it was not that they waited and came in the evening to hear about it, like ‘Oh, my god, is this what they’re saying? Is it true what they are trying to say?’ The results came in through advance numbers itself. So I think the audience is too smart. I think we just underestimate the audience’s intelligence. They see through any agenda now. So we didn’t have to say anything or do anything.”

Talking about the emotions of the fans after watching Pathaan, Siddharth added, “Oh, it was crazy! I mean, I keep getting videos of the rejoicing of people, what they’re doing at the end of the film, in the middle of the film, they’re dancing. In that scene where Dimple Kapadia’s character dies, and Shah Rukh Khan’s character gives a salute, I saw a video where the audience unfolded the Indian flag in the theatre. So the fact that they carried a flag into the theatre means what kinds of emotions the film is carrying.”

The film has already earned ₹729 crore gross worldwide in ten days. Pathaan is the fourth title in producer Aditya Chopra’s spy universe, following Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), and War, featuring Hrithik Roshan (2019).