The Big Picture

Indian director Siddharth Anand is known for producing blockbuster action-thrillers, with his upcoming film Fighter featuring a star-studded cast and Top Gun influences. The first look teaser reveals high-octane action sequences and an emphasis on aviation, hinting at plenty of sky-high excitement. The film marks the third collaboration between Hrithik Roshan and Siddharth Anand, and reunites Deepika Padukone and Anand after their previous work together in Pathaan. Fighter is set to kick off 2024 with a bang on January 25.

Indian director Siddharth Anand has made his stake in the action-thriller genre clear, producing blockbuster after blockbuster, including Shah Rukh Khan’s theater-shattering epic Pathaan earlier this year. Specializing in high-octane action sequences that are a feast for the eyes, Anand is buckling up to do it all again in his upcoming film Fighter. The star-studded film, which stars icons of Indian cinema Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, screams Top Gun influence in a first look teaser.

The video opens from the skies with three fighter jets soaring in perfect formation. In the background, a new, thunderous version of India’s national song “Vande Mataram” can be heard booming. Its use implies the trio could in some way be serving their country. As the camera pans down to the tarmac, we are introduced to Roshan in a dapper pilot uniform and sunglasses combination that rivals Tom Cruise’s classic look. Further afield is Padukone who looks every bit the ultimate boss in her own getup as she looks onwards whilst steaming down the runway – with gloves in hand. The final unveiling is Kapoor, who boats his usual effortless charm, looks to have stepped fresh off a flight with his aviation helmet in hand and a jet in his rearview. Beyond the highly-anticipated introductions and a 2024 release date for the film, nothing else is given away but the rapid transitions and emphasis on aviation hint at plenty of sky-high excitement.

Siddharth Anand Has a Legacy in the Action Genre
Anand’s reputation in the genre proceeds him, with a healthy portfolio packed with action offerings. It’s also not his first time dipping into Cruise influence as Khan-led Pathaan also bellowed Mission Impossible in its soaring sequences and grand theming. If the first look is anything to go by, there is a good chance Fighter will look to Top Gun for inspiration. That coupled with Anand’s own footprint, which often marries up romance and drama into the bones of action stories, suggests we could also expect sparks to fly on the ground as well as in aerospace.

Image via T-Series

The film will be Roshan and Anand’s third collaboration after 2019 hit War and 2014 offering Bang Bang! Meanwhile, Padukone and Anand last worked together in Pathaan where she starred opposite Khan as a fierce secret agent with an aim of taking down a mounting threat from the inside. Although both actors have worked in the genre, neither have starred opposite one another before making for an interesting watch. Whilst the details are still sparse at this stage, Fighter evidently has all the makings to kick 2024 off with a bang.

Fighter lands in theaters on January 25, 2024, on the eve of India’s 75th Republic Day. You can watch a teaser for the film below.