Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan a tech spectacle: From IMAX to crazy green screens

The Bollywood movie Pathaan is an Indian action-adventure film released in January 2023. The film stars actor Shah Rukh Khan as the titular character of Pathaan, a RAW agent on a mission against a group of nefarious mercenaries. The movie also stars actors Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Dimple Kapadia, Ashutosh Rana, and a special cameo by Salman Khan.

Pathaan is a unique movie in that it utilizes a combination of both traditional filmmaking methods and cutting-edge technology to create spectacular action sequences and special effects.

The use of technology in Pathaan is evident right from the start of the movie. While the camera work and editing are both done in a traditional style, the movie takes advantage of computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create action sequences. CGI is used to create both the backgrounds and the special effects, giving the film a distinct look and feel. 

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The majority of the movie was shot during the Covid era when strict restrictions were in place all over the world. Yash Raj Films (YRF)  actually utilized a massive green screen digital set in Mumbai and seamlessly made it look real in post-production.

In a very Christopher Nolan-esque way, Pathan is one of the few movies released in IMAX theatres. However, there’s a caveat. While Nolan uses the crazy expensive and technical 70mm IMAX camera to shoot practically the whole movie, due to technological and financial constraints movies shot by Indian filmmakers, including for Pathaan, use the IMAX DMR process.

IMAX DMR stands for the IMAX Digital Media Remastering process. It is a post-production process for converting the traditional 2D film into IMAX's proprietary format for showing the film in IMAX theatres. The resulting film has increased resolution, contrast, and colour accuracy compared to the original version. So while Pathaan may not be a “true IMAX” experience but still a visual spectacle nonetheless.

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Pathaan is also an ICE-certified movie. In Delhi/NCR, you can find two ICE-certified theatres - the PVR ICON Promenade Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, and the PVR Ambience Mall, Gurugram. ICE means Immersive Cinema Experience, combining LED panels on an auditorium's sides to create an immersive panoramic viewing experience. It will be the first Indian film to be released in ICE format.

Pathaan's use of CGI, IMAX shots and ICE technology give the film its distinct look and feel, making it a truly fun and unique film experience and highly recommended to be experienced in theatres near you.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, the movie has received rave reviews from fans and critics alike and has grossed over Rs 400 crore in just four days.

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