Pathaan director Siddharth Anand: We wanted to make Shah Rukh Khan the symbol of alpha and machismo

We all grew up watching Raj and Rahul consistently throughout the 1990s and 2000s. These endearing and kind lover boys are a refreshing change from Bollywood's overly muscular action heroes. Shah Rukh Khan has the rare ability to create his own style while still being able to adapt. The superstar, who was caught on his last mission four years prior, has changed into an armed spy in his upcoming film, Pathaan. For the action thriller, director Siddharth Anand wanted the lead actor to look tough—maybe even unbeatable.

Anand, who is working with Shah Rukh Khan for the first time, told Mid Day that the goal was to transform the actor into the ultimate machismo and alpha. The director said that through his clothes and hairstyle, we tried to get to the heart of who he is, which is cool.

Khan has had many different looks throughout his 30-year career, from a man with glasses and a moustache in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) to a man with short legs in Zero. Coming up with a unique look for him was the biggest challenge.

The director continued by saying that Shah Rukh has worn numerous outfits that have influenced the nation's pop culture and motivated kids to dress like him. It wouldn't be incorrect to suggest that his filmmaking style has elevated India. It was therefore a challenge to create a new look for SRK.

Before settling on the leading man's appearance, which included sleek leather jackets, aviator sunglasses, and long, unruly hair, Anand and producer Aditya Chopra did weeks of brainstorming. During the making of Pathaan, the superstar and the movie crew were very careful with his look so that his fans would be surprised when they saw him on the big screen again after more than four years.

The teaser for the January 25 release, which also stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, was just released in early November and provided a sneak peek at Khan's covert persona. Anand is happy to see that the actor's fans are starting to get long hair like him.

According to the audience's response, he believes that they have given Shah Rukh's fans yet another appearance to love.