A still from Pathaanteaser. (courtesy: YRF)
Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham have exchanged compliments in a series of promotional videos for their new film Pathaan released by Yash Raj Films. While no interviews are being given to the media, the cast have answered preset questions in videos posted on YRF's social media. We've heard from SRK and John, Deepika is awaited. Commenting on Shah Rukh Khan's return to the screen four years after Zero (not counting his cameos in films like Brahmastra), John Abraham said in his video, "I don't think just the entire nation, I think the entire world wants to see Shah Rukh Khan on screen including myself. And I think he more than delivered the goods. He's fantastic in this film."
Watch John Abraham speak about Shah Rukh Khan and Pathaan here:
Shah Rukh Khan – a man of many words unlike his Pathaan co-star – spoke at length about John Abraham in his own video released yesterday. "It was nice working with him and all so I realised he is a gentle giant. You know when we were doing action and everything. He says...he called me a national treasure and said, 'I will not hurt you.' I said you can, its ok. He is very shy and I had to do a lot of convincing to tell him its ok, you can punch me and I won't get hurt," SRK said.
"I think he is so proficient in action. He really helped me look nice you know, in body language. It was very kind of him. I think when you are doing a film with a co-star like John, there is a lot to learn from him. Being the star that he is and the respect that he has for me. I hope when Pathaan comes out, one of the most likes characters, genuinely is John's. I really wish it because it takes a lot of guts to do what he has done as an actor and as a star," Shah Rukh Khan added.
Watch here:
Previous to these glowing words, there have been reports that the Shah Rukh Khan-John Abraham binary was a troubled one. Footage of John dodging a question on SRK's Pathaan physique – and, in fact, leaving the press conference the question was asked at – went viral last week. Pathaan's marketing strategy seems to have precluded interactions with the press, however.
Shah Rukh Khan plays the titular Pathaan, an agent brought in from exile, in director Siddharth Anand's upcoming thriller. Deepika Padukone's character teams up with Pathaan on an anti-terror mission against Jim, played by John Abraham. Pathaan releases on January 25.