Pathaan (YRF Spy Universe)

Pathaan is a fictional Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) agent and former soldier created by Siddharth Anand and Aditya Chopra for the YRF Spy Universe.^[1] The character is portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan and was first introduced in Pathaan (2023).

Pathaan is depicted as a highly skilled and patriotic Indian intelligence agent. He created Joint Operations and Covert Research (J.O.C.R), a sub-division of R&AW, that recruits Indian soldiers and agents who were forced to retire due to injury or emotional trauma.^[2][3][4] Rubina "Rubai" Mohsin (portrayed by Deepika Padukone), a Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agent, is his love interest, whom he met during a mission in Spain and Moscow.^{[5] [6][7]} He is one of the three main agents in the universe, along with Tiger (portrayed by Salman Khan) and Kabir (portrayed by Hrithik Roshan).

Pathaan was discovered abandoned in a cinema hall and subsequently raised in an orphanage, juvenile center, and remand home. The compassion and support he received during his formative years inspired him to enlist in the Indian Army, where he served with distinction. ^[8]

Pathaan's inaugural mission occurred in 2002, when he participated in a joint operation conducted by the Indian and United States armed forces aimed at eliminating the Taliban leader, Salauddin Husseini, in Afghanistan. During the operation, a missile targeted a location where Husseini was believed to be hiding. However, it was also connected to an elderly teacher, also named Husseini, who was present with 30 children at a madrasa. Upon realizing the danger, Pathaan intervened by retrieving the teacher's phone and discarding it far from the site, thereby diverting the missile's trajectory. Despite successfully saving the lives of the children and their teacher, Pathaan sustained severe injuries from the blast, resulting in a month-long coma. Upon awakening, he was cared for by the villagers he had saved, who honored him with the title "Pathaan," meaning "Hero," and he pledged to celebrate Eid with them annually.

In 2020, following a debilitating injury sustained during a mission in Myanmar, Pathaan envisioned the establishment of the Joint Operations and Covert Research (J.O.C.R.) unit. This special task force was designed to include soldiers who had been injured in service yet remained committed to their nation. The inaugural members of the J.O.C.R. included Shweta Bajaj, Joseph Mathews, Rishi Arya, and Raza, and the unit proved essential in executing numerous covert operations.

Pathaan's most significant operation involved thwarting the Raktbeej conspiracy, a plot devised by the rogue mercenary Jim and his organization, Outfit X. Through intelligence gathered via the dark web, Pathaan and his team discovered a plan to unleash a deadly mutated virus at the Asian Scientific Conference in Dubai, which was to be attended by the President of India along with two scientists, Dr. Farooqui and Dr. Sahani. However, due to enhanced security measures, the President's travel plans were altered, leaving the scientists vulnerable. Jim's group attacked the convoy, abducting the scientists. Despite his efforts, Pathaan was unable to prevent the abduction, and Rishi, one of his team members, was killed during the confrontation with Jim.

Following their defeat, the team returned to India, where they learned more about Jim's background and the ominous term "Raktbeej," which had been frequently mentioned in their investigations. They traced a series of mysterious deaths back to a Pakistani doctor, Dr. Rubina "Rubai" Mohsin, who was later revealed to be an ex-ISI agent and affiliated with Outfit X. Pathaan tracked her to Spain, where he encountered Jim again, leading to a series of betrayals and conflicts.

After a successful yet perilous collaboration with Rubai, Pathaan learned that Raktbeej was secured within a vault in Russia. Despite being captured and tortured by Russian authorities, he received assistance from his colleague Nandini Grewal, who devised a rescue plan. Together with Tiger, another agent, Pathaan escaped from the gulag, foiling Jim's plans once more.

During his time in exile, Pathaan monitored Jim and Outfit X's activities, eventually learning of a missile deal that could threaten India. He infiltrated a meeting disguised as an associate of Jim and successfully captured Raafe, a member of Outfit X, for interrogation.

After numerous confrontations, Pathaan managed to retrieve the Raktbeej virus and prevent its deployment. In the climactic battle, he faced Jim in a high-stakes showdown, ultimately disabling the virus and killing Jim in the process. Following the successful prevention of the Raktbeej pandemic, Pathaan was reinstated in R&AW and appointed as the head of the J.O.C.R. unit.

In a subsequent mission, Pathaan executed a high-risk operation to rescue his fellow agent Tiger from a Pakistani prison. Employing a combination of strategic distractions and combat skills, he successfully facilitated Tiger's escape, culminating in a dramatic helicopter pursuit and a narrow escape.

As of 2024, Pathaan has appeared in two films: Pathaan (2023) and Tiger 3 (2023).^[9][10]

• Tiger
• YRF Spy Universe
• Tiger (YRF Spy Universe)
• Shah Rukh Khan filmography
• Deepika Padukone filmography