#don 1978

[midnight-illustrator]

Anyone else here an enjoyer of cult Indian crime cinema from the 1970s...? Just me?

If you haven't watched the original Don, I can't recommend it enough. It's bonkers, it's funny, it's so unbelievably '70s, and Amitabh Bachchan is magnetic the whole way through. Both as Vijay and as his crime-boss lookalike, Don himself, he has a really electric presence. This is probably my second favorite role I've seen Bachchan play (after Jai in Sholay of course).

[uozlulu]

Ginro hyped up from chewing the drink leaves got "Khaike Pan Banaraswala" stuck in my head (Youtube link)

[waheedarehman]

[i-am-totally-human]

I’m watching Don (1978) 😎

I do not speak Hindi and there are no subtitles

[celestialkahei]

Helen performing Yeh Mera Dil in Don (1978)

[celestialkahei]

Yeh Mera Dil - Don (1978)

[filmmakersvision]

Don vs Don (Spoilers)

Disclaimer: This article contains many SPOILERS. Do not read unless you have seen BOTH films.

June 6, 2016

by Inakshi Chandra-Mohanty

In 1978, the inspirational classic, Don was released. Twenty-eight years later, Farhan Akhtar dared to remake this film with a similar premise, but with drastic plot changes. It is very rare that a remake either matches or surpasses the original but Akhtar managed to achieve this goal. Both films are brilliant in all aspects, specifically the plot, acting, and music but often a question arises as to which one is better. Both are masterpieces that have left a legacy but which film is better overall? 

Both films have the same plot: Vijay, a simple street man, is asked by a police officer to replace Don, the leader of a large gang, and relay information to the police. Outside of the main plot, there are many subplots that give the story substance: Roma’s revenge for her brother and sister-in-law’s death, Jasjit’s effort to reunite with his children/child, and the love that develops between Vijay and Roma. The original film is less focused on Don and his image and is more focused on the minor characters and the relationships they develop. The subplots are given equal importance to the story as the main mission of catching the gang. In the new film, however, the spotlight is solely on Don. Much of the film is invested in Don’s persona and very little time is given to Roma and Jasjit. The difference in the interpretation of the story is evident in the posters of the two films. There is no poster for the original Don that has exclusively Amitabh Bachchan as Don.  Zeenat Aman, Pran, or other actors are in the background of the poster. However, the new film has posters with just Shahrukh Khan as Don. There are few posters that include other characters. This displays how crucial Don is to this new film.

The other brilliant thing about the original is that it has a light-hearted comic feel to it. The climax action scene at the cemetery is not meant to be dark and horrifying.  Instead, it is meant to be both thrilling and entertaining and includes a majority of the cast. The climax for the new film, however, is a standoff between Don and Vardhan on top of an isolated tower. This has a different effect on the viewer as it portrays a scarier and more thrilling mood.

The principal difference between the old Don and the new Don is the resolution. The old Don ends with Vardhan and the gang being caught by the police and everyone living happily ever after. The new Don originally seems as if it is going to end in a similar way but at the last moment of the film there is a twist where it is revealed that Don never died. Don killed Vijay and pretended to be him in order to reach Vardhan and take over the whole underworld. The twist is one of the moments that makes the new film amazing. However, the new Don plays off of the expectations created by the original. Without the original film, this new film would never have been able to pull off that twist with the same effect.

Overall, both films are mind-blowing entertainers but the old Don has a fresh originality, which is not present in the new film.  Each as a stand-alone film has a unique tone and quality to it. However, the new Don relied on the old Don to create the desired effect on the audience and therefore, I believe the original is better.