In this weekly column, Reel Retake, we compare the original film and its remake. Beyond highlighting the similarities, differences and measuring them on the success scale, we aim to discover the potential in the storyline that spurred the thought for a newer version and the ways in which a remake could possibly offer a different viewing experience. And if that is the case, analyse the film.
The movie in focus this week is Don (1978) with Amitabh Bachchan and it’s remake starring Shah Rukh Khan that released in 2006, followed by a sequel in 2011. Prabhas has also starred in Don’s Telugu remake Billa.
What is Don about?
Don (Amitabh Bachchan) is a criminal mastermind ruling over the gangs in Bombay. He is overly smart and a hindrance for the law enforcement agencies, especially D’Silva (Iftekhar), who seems to be hell bent on taking down his network and operations. But Don is too clever and confidently proclaims, “Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin mamumkin hai," (It’s impossible to catch Don). When one of Don’s men, Ramesh decides to leave his gang, Don kills him. Ramesh’s fiancée Kamini (Helen) and his sister Roma (Zeenat Aman) swear vengeance on Don. Kamini tries to seduce Don in an attempt to have the police nab him, but her plan backfires as Don plays wise to her moves and kills her before escaping once again. Now, Roma becomes a spy for D’Silva and enters Don’s gang and starts to work for him. Don becomes enamoured with Roma’s beauty and starts trusting her without knowing her real motive.
During a chase, Don is killed but D’Silva’s plan fails as he wants to get to the source of his organisation and destroy his network. D’Silva buries Don, making everyone believe that he may still be alive somewhere. As fate would have it, D’Silva comes across Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan), who looks exactly like Don but dwells in a slum and looks after two children Deepu and Munni. Sensing opportunity here, D’Silva manages to convince Vijay he pretends to be Don and infiltrate his crime network and help the police. Vijay is reluctant but agrees for the sake of a better future for Deepu and Munni. D’Silva plans to let Vijay, now Don, loose and he pretends to have developed amnesia, so that he can learn everything about Don and his set up.
Vijay, pretending to be Don, finds a red diary containing evidence related to Don’s criminal activities. Vijay replaces the diary with a blank one while telling Narang, his trusted man, and the other gang members that he is going to take revenge on D’Silva for capturing him. But, in real, he plans to hand him the diary and expose Don and his network. Meanwhile, JJ aka Jasjit is released from jail. He is the real father of Deepu and Munni and is sworn to take revenge on Don for sending him to prison.
When Vijay is meeting up with D’Silva, Roma tries to kill him to avenge Ramesh and Kamini’s murder. D’Silva intervenes and reveals the true identity of Vijay. Roma and Vijay join hands. The diary reveals the existence of a notorious crime lord named Vardhan serving as the source of crime in Bombay, and that Don and his gang members are working for him.
Vijay and Roma get back and he feigns regaining his memory. The gang plans a huge party marking the return of Don. D’Silva raids this party with his team acting on information from Vijay but is killed in crossfire. Vijay and other gang members are captured by the police and the red diary lands with JJ. In the lock-up, Vijay proclaims he is not Don but no one believes him. He has also revealed his identity to Narang and other gangsters, who swear to kill him for betrayal. Vijay manages to escape and reunites with Roma. They find JJ and reveal the truth. The trio learn of Vardhan’s real identity and also that he has kidnapped Deepu and Munni in order to get the red diary back.
Vijay, JJ and Roma meet Vardhan at a graveyard. They are forced to hand over the red diary to Vardhan who burns it. Later, it is revealed that Vijay changed diaries and the real red diary containing Don’s secrets is with him. He hands it over to police and walks scot free with Munni, Deepu, JJ and Roma.
Wherein lies the potential?
Don’s storyline is deeply intriguing. At each turn, there are surprises with gangsters outwitting the cops and vice versa. This cat-and-mouse chase reels viewers in the initial half and then the whole twist with Vijay as Don works the magic. Amitabh Bachchan in double roles is flawless and a major pull in the film. His performance is elevated with supporting roles from Iftekhar as D’Silva and Zeenat Aman as Roma. Zeenat’s performance as Roma is a good balance of vulnerable and confident. The fact that the real villain, Vardhan, isn’t revealed till the end adds to the mystery. As Vijay and the police learn of him, so do we. At no point, we are ahead in the story and that keeps us on the edge about what will unfold next.
The dialogues are the mainstay of the film. Don’s line became so iconic that even today, Big B is requested to deliver them and it enthralls still. Right from styling to music, the film is well packaged and delivers on all counts. Bachchan’s Don is a fast paced and breezy affair. It is engaging and Big B performs brilliantly. He is effortless as menacing Don and the simpleton Vijay. It is a super hit and one of the most revisited classics of that era. It was a typical masala entertainer in sync with the times and audience lapped it up.
The songs were a huge hit. Main Hoon Don, Khaike Pan Banaraswala, Jiska Mujhe Tha Intezar and Yeh Mera Dil were peppy and blended well with the movie’s mood and tone. Outside of it, the music album was also listened to quite a bit and added to film’s appeal. In the midst of the action and high intensity sequences, they changed the mood, but not for long as the plot pulls you back in with more vigour and new and dangerous turns.
Shah Rukh Khan brilliantly matches up to Big B in remake
When Don remake was announced and finally came out, comparisons were made and SRK pulled down for trying to replicate one of Big B’s most loved flicks. However, looking at the new Don, one can instantly feel that if only there was anyone who could fill in Big B’s shoes with a terrific and balanced performance as both the villain and the hero in the story, it is Shah Rukh. He contemporises one of Bollywood’s most loved films for the current generation. Shah Rukh even takes it a bit further as in keeping up with the time, the action sequences become more slicker and better and gives Don a technical edge, an overall tone and a very distinct feel. The green tone imposes the worldview Don has on us and we can’t help but blend in with his evil ways. The techno-style background music also makes it edgier, gives all the right feels and creates an overall atmosphere. New Don’s cinematography is also one of the highlight points and stands out well. Probably, Don is the only charismatic villain in Bollywood who is loved more than he is hated.
Priyanka Chopra also performed very well in her role as Roma. The ‘jungli billi’ moniker stuck with her for long and is still a call back for the actress’ hit performance. Some of Don’s new songs like Aaj Ki Raat, Mourya Re and Main Hoon Don bring the film alive in so many ways and take us away, even though momentarily, from the crime festering world.
Billa (2009), starring Prabhas and Anushka Shetty, is also one of Don’s contemporary remakes. It has its own style and feel and is associated more with South style filmmaking with constant moving camera and fast pace editing. Prabhas’ performance is also top-notch, but one thing lacking here is the heavy duty dialogues.
Success Meter
Big B’s Don is regarded one of his best performances. The double role act really broke boundaries in what he could bring to the table as a performer. Shah Rukh and Prabhas are equally good in their respective versions of Don and the testament to it is the huge success both Don, the new one, and Billa achieved at the box office. Shah Rukh’s Don even had a sequel in 2011, although a less successful one. Time and again, talks of a new Don film gets the fans excited and this is proof of the film’s appeal for the new age watchers. All the Don’s versions are satellite TV broadcast regulars and people love revisiting them time and again.
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