Don

AV – ***

EV – ***

There is a definite peril in revisiting a classic and giving it that personalized touch. First and foremost, there exists a premise to risk the outcome by “tampering” with a hugely successful product. Then comes the sheer burden of legacy which can’t be offloaded easily – the obvious comparisons with the original protagonist whose fortunes took a giant leap catapulting him to the dizzying heights of stardom, the chartbusting music, the trendsetting dialogues or the cracker of a script. Chandra Barot’s Don had it all, everything that could entice the swinging 70s generation. Take a look at it from the GenX point of view and one could recall that the characters, their mannerisms and style fundas are often caricatured by the likes of MTV. A worthy remake to reach out to the younger audience makes sense, but at the same time, chances of encountering cynics in far greater numbers are overwhelming.

Cut to Farhan Akhtar’s Don, the slick and stylish avatar of the yesteryear’s thriller offers more than just the mundane old wine in a new bottle. Treading at the same breakneck pace as its predecessor, this one kicks off with new-age Don (SRK), as suave as ever, busting his enemies. Only this time we have the picturesque Paris as the backdrop instead of the rustic locales. Don’s faithful aide Narang (Pawan Malhotra) and Anita (Koppikar) are a part of his inner circle. Roma (Priyanka) earns his trust only to avenge her brother’s death. DCP De’Silva (Boman Irani) is in hot pursuit of Don and his cronies with Interpol officer (Om Puri) giving him some stiff competition. We also have JJ (Rampal) who is hunting for De’Silva’s head, a role which had Pran hamming to glory. Don is finally captured and dies in custody. His look-alike Vijay is sent as a mole by the DCP to destroy Don’s empire. DCP gets killed and Vijay’s true identity is lost forever.

Till the end of the first half, Don suffers from the obvious – comparison pangs and predictability. One can’t help correlating the events with the predecessor. The second half scores high in terms of entertainment value compared to the first. Although the movie follows the original faithfully, its has certain twists in the plot which will keep the audience guessing. But it’s the climax which earns the movie its browny points. The makeover, the movie receives which gives it a fresh new feel, is commendable. The locales, cars, costumes & background score are all overhauled to near perfection. Don is portrayed as meaner and ruthless being. Roma, thankfully, is already a master in martial arts unlike Zeenat Aman’s character who does an unbelievable crash course to seek revenge. DCP De’silva’s charater has more depth to it and JJ as a biometric expert is more believable than the tight-rope walking artist played by Pran. The Red diary is replaced by CD and police van from which Don escapes is now an aeroplane!

Shahrukh Khan plays Vijay with finesse; his dialogue delivery and comic timing are worth applauding. However, one could get glimpses of Manu Dada (Duplicate) and Ram Jaane in his portrayal of Don. But if there is any actor who could fit into the heavy shoes of Amitabh Bachchan and still walk this role without stumbling, its SRK. Watch out for him in “Khaike Paan….” to believe it! Boman Irani has a meaty and terrific role to boast about and he does full justice to it. Priyanka Chopra and Arjun Rampal deliver decent performances; Om Puri is effective in his small role. Kareina looks glamourous and sizzles in her dance number.

Editing and cinematography are slick. Music by Shanker-Ehsaan-Loy is notable particularly for the very 80’s kinda funk number “Aaj ki Raat”. Background score is very techno and gels well with the pace of the movie. Action set pieces are great to watch.

Overall Don pays rich tribute to the 70’s version and proves to be a worthy successor largely due to the second half, improved screenplay, characterization, visuals, neat packaging & the smart twist in the plot. Farhan Akhtar proves yet again that he is one of the best in the business. Don’t let the cynic in you have a field day and you will have lots to feel good about in this new-age Don.

-Arun

(Appears on Rediff as well)

Dor

Dor is as tender and as powerful it can get. Shot beautifully in Himachal Pradesh and most of it in Rajastan, this movie is how a meaningful cinema should be; it is not void of entertainment – but it is in small touches by a character created for only that purpose – tells a story, gives a message – in very small details again – and most important of all, it works.Zeenat is played by Gul Panag and Meera is played by Ayesha Takia. Both the ladies look apt choices for the role, with Gul carrying off it with such ease that I wonder where was she all these days. She looks like an ideal replacement for Tabu having both beauty and talent to match. Ayesha’s acting is also just right.
And there is Shreyas Talpade, whose is the character I mentioned above, who ensures that we dont get all that weepy and lumpy-in-the-throat. His role is responsible for the few refreshing laughs but yet in some ways stays with us. Probably for that just one scene – “ek mahtva poorn baat kehni thi”. Not to say that other scenes were any bad.

The dialogues were all simple and intense like when Meera says “Keh doongi bhajan sun rahi thi, ab naatak shuru hoga” and puts on her veil. When Zeenat says something on the lines -”Who laughs and dances with her friends when she knows her husband is on the doorstep of death”. One more I can remember is “society is as merciless as heat of Sun’s rays”. There are moments as well, like when Meera dances in the lane, very cautiously fearing if the society observes that act of a widow. When all of them dance to their hearts content in the midst of the desert. Two other scenes, my most favorite, are
1) the ritual when Meera is de-bangled.
2) “Ek mehtva poorna bhaat kehni thi” Given the background, this was supposed to be just funny. But it wasn’t, and that we come know only later.
Messages thrown here and there about liberation of women or even about girl infanticide is so below the surface, but it hits the target.

Such dialogues and moments, not completely breaking away from our melodramatic style, yet not exaggarating it or not highlighting it, are at the heart of the movie which also succeeds in its primary motive – that of telling a story and that too in grand colour and picturisation.

Nagesh Kukunoor, more power to you. If I recall Hyderabad Blues and such like, I can not imagine this is the same Kukunoor.