Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan 2 to precede Tiger vs. Pathaan showdown in YRF Spy Universe; here's all you need to know

Pathaan, directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Aditya Chopra for YRF Spy Universe in January 2023, marked Shah Rukh Khan's transition to an action star. Beyond exceeding Bahubali 2's lifetime earnings, the film—which featured SRK as the title character and Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in important roles—went on to shatter records at the box office worldwide.

Pathaan 2 and the continuation of the Spy Universe

The last scene of Pathaan showed Shah Rukh reuniting with his fashionable spy persona to build a new squad to battle future villains. Thanks to Aditya Chopra's ambitiously planned spy universe, Pinkvilla has learned that the superstar will be returning as Pathaan in Pathaan 2.

According to the YRF Spy Universe timeline, there will be a twist: Pathaan 2 will take place before Tiger vs. Pathaan, setting the stage for the epic confrontation of two legendary stars. Viewers clearly resonate with SRK's portrayal of Pathaan and demand more of his espionage persona. A source familiar with the project claimed that shortly after Pathaan's January 2023 debut, Aditya and SRK decided to spin it off as its own series within the Spy Universe. The filmmaker had already begun brainstorming ideas for the sequel to this smash hit.

ALSO READ: Tiger vs. Pathaan update: Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan to kick off production with on-screen titans collision; details inside 

Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan's strategy for Pathaan 2

Aditya and his team have been working on the Pathaan 2 script for the past year. Developers are crafting the plot to establish it as the universe's key spy film, paving the way for a larger battle ahead. In its wake, the YRF Spy Universe will reveal the upcoming events. Pathaan 2 actually prepares the audience for the upcoming temporal showdown between Tiger and Pathaan, according to a source informing the entertainment portal.

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Aditya and SRK have been in talks to get Pathaan 2 into theatres before the end of 2024. Aside from the aforementioned Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, Tiger 3, War 2, and the Alia Bhatt film, the YRF Spy Universe will expand with Pathaan 2. 

Pathaan's record-breaking performance

With over Rs 540 crore in All India Nett Collections and a global total in the north of Rs 1000 crore, Pathaan is the highest-grossing film in the YRF Spy Universe, in case you were wondering. It defied expectations and became the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time, earning its status as a landmark in the industry.

Pathaan also heralded Hindi cinema's triumphant return to the post-pandemic world; with Pathaan 2, YRF is ready to take things to the next level. 

ALSO READ: Salman Khan talks about ‘Tiger Vs Pathaan’, says ‘Whenever things are locked, I will be...’