Vir Das ‘Decided To Rewrite The Script’ Of Happy Patel After Watching Pathaan And Tiger 3 | Here’s why

Vir Das added yet another feather to his hat as he turned director for his recent outing, Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, marking the long-awaited comeback of Imraan Khan in a cameo role. Das, who marked

his directorial debut with Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, released on January 16, and as per Sacnilk, the movie has had a slow start with ₹1.25 Cr India net on its first day.

As the movie continues to impress audiences at the box office,Vir Das opened up about how Pathaan and Tiger 3 helped bring the story of Happy Patel to light. Speaking to HT, Das shared, “When I started pitching it, people asked how an Indian spy film would work. Then, I saw Pathaan and Tiger come and go. I realised this was becoming a ‘thing’. Comedy is counter-culture; mainstream culture has to exist for counter-culture to exist. Now that the mainstream spy genre is the ‘it’ genre in Indian cinema, it is time for the comedy version of it. Two years ago, maybe after Pathaan or Tiger 3, I decided to rewrite the whole script.”

The movie reunites Aamir Khan and Imraan Khan after years, and it’s also the former’s return to film. Speaking about whether that made him nervous at any point, Vir shared, “Of course, I am nervous. I have watched my film 800 times to make sure every footstep and bullet sound is right. What is validating is Aamir’s process; he will make you do 30 test screenings before releasing the movie. By screening 22 or 25, you keep tinkering until people say the second half ‘really flew by,’ and the climax is the high point. And that is what you want.”

Produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions, Happy Patel also stars Aamir in a quirky role. The film released in theatres on January 16, 2026. News18 Showsha also reviewed the film and gave it four stars. A part of the review reads, “Happy Patel very much belongs to the world of Delhi Belly and maybe even Madgaon Express. It can best be described as a puzzle where the pieces don’t even belong together. And the fact that it doesn’t fit into Bollywood’s definition of a comic caper or our collective consciousness, for that matter, is what makes the film unique. Happy Patel is a breath of fresh air. The absurdity of it will leave you wanting more. Don’t miss out on this one, because films like this don’t come very often.”