Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan is going all guns blazing at the box office and the credit for that success also goes to Shah Rukh’s antagonist in the film — Jim, played by John Abraham. Carrying a deadly smile, a heartbreaking villain origin story and a medal in hand, John Abraham’s Jim is one of the best villains to have come out of Bollywood in recent times. Here’s what makes Jim so compelling.
A villain with nothing to lose
A tall, well-built man wearing a white helmet walks towards an incoming car and blasts it in the middle of the road in Dubai. In another scene, he rams into a car, takes off his helmet and moves towards the burning site, turning a medal in his hand while a smile lingers on his face.
John Abraham’s Jim makes a deadly entry in Pathaan that is as impactful — if not more — as Shah Rukh Khan’s. Jim is the leader of terrorist gang Outfit X, who work only for money. One of the major reasons behind Shah Rukh perfecting his role as an action hero without once looking out of place is his opponent, played by John. Jim stands out as a villain with no strings and zero vulnerability.
The leader of the terror outfit is terrifying, never backing down from a challenge and knowing his enemy well enough to plot his next move.
A villain with a calm confidence and gawk-worthy gadgets
The villain, however, wasn’t always a villain. Jim’s history with RAW has to do with the terror attacks. Unlike the backstory of Rubina Mohsin (played by Deepika Padukone), which leaves a lot to be explored, Jim’s story gives a solid reason behind his determination to attack the country. But John’s cool gaze doesn’t betray that pain, which makes him a super scary villain. His calm sense of confidence and gawk-worthy gadgets will make you wonder whether he is Bruce Wayne in an alternate universe. Jim’s history, along with his clever plans, makes him the deadliest villain in the YRF Spy Universe so far.
Action sequences
It doesn’t come as a surprise that John holds his ground in the action sequences with Shah Rukh’s Pathaan. The two engage in hand-to-hand combat, making for an engaging action sequence that promises — and delivers — much more. If John was a delicious conman with some killer stunt moves in Dhoom, his action scenes in Pathaan as the menacing baddie go through the roof.
