Nov 03, 2006 03:38 PM
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I could have given 'Don' a 4-star salute for the sheer guts of its director. After all it takes nerves of steel (and a very thick skin) to 'remake' (it's difficult as well as unfare to use this word, but just for the sake of ease!) one of the classiest films of Indian cinema.
Personally I have not been very kind towards this idea of remaking hits. I believe that this is just another way to camoflauge Bollywood's eternal drought of good ideas. And perhaps my belief is strengthened by this movie. More on this later.
Farhan Akhtar was only the second person to use synch sound in his movies (Ashutosh Gowarikar was first to use the technology in 'Lagaan', Farhan seconded him in 'Dil Chahta Hai') and his 'Lakshya' was spectacular too. So little doubt that Don is one of the most slick and paciest movies in recent times.
If 'Krrish' was promoting Singapore, cinematographer Mohanan (his first hindi movie) gets chance to use Malaysia as the backdrop here, and he is undoubtedly first rate. The chase sequence is no doubt one of the best I have seen in Indian films (no comparisons with MI-2 chase please!) but the climax appears as if we are watching a promotional campaign of Malayasian Tourism!
Art Direction by Sabu Cyril is first rate. Amongst choreographers I think only Farah Khan disappoints with pretty ordinary choreography in 'Khaike Pan Banaraswala'. Action sequences are very good.
One area where this movie pales completely before the original is the dialogues! There is not one dialogue worth remembering in the entire movie. Many of the original dialogues have been either retained or modified to fit in current context. Perhaps this too fits well in the 'Paying Homage' scheme of makers!
But perhaps I am being unfare by singling out the dialogues. After all complete movie is 'recycled'. The characters walk straight out from the original script. Their development is almost identical (except that of Jasjit, more on it later) and when the story base is ready and steady, Javed Akhtar puts in his twists and turns to it, and voila! You have a new script ready, which is a 'homage' but not a remake!
Many people will say that there is a lot of emphasis on slickness rather than content. I believe that slickness was actually necessary since the original Don is now considered to be one of the slickest and raciest film of its times. As far as content is considered, most of the basic story framework is borrowed from original movie only ("Adapted from the original screenplay by Salim Jawed"). So rather than keeping the secrets in a diary, we have a CD and instead of being carried to jail in a police jeep, we witness an aircraft! Though there are some good twists in the story which keep you engrossed. Ending is undoubtedly the highest point of movie.
And to be honest these twists accompanied by slickness of the movie are pretty impressive, but move out of the hall and shallowness begins to emerge.
Moving onto individual characters.
The character that has been worst redrawn is that of 'Jasjit'. Arjun Rampal plays a software professional (a security expert to be precise. A quantum leap over Pran's acrobat who walked tight ropes in circus!) who when caught steeling diamonds (poor Pran stole only few thousand rupees!) requests inspector to 'let him go' else his wife will be murdered. I think it would have been more sensible if he pleaded them to save his wife and then put him in jail if they wanted! He goes to jail anyway and swears revenge against the cop! Arjun Rampal gets to play pretty good part but he rarely shows any spark. I didn't expect Farhan Akhtar to waste this character only for the sake of a star!
Priyanka Chopra has been on a high for quite some time and with Don she will be giving her second superhit of the year (well she has delivered a superdud as well, Sunil Darshan's 'Aap Ki Khatir'!). She manages to match Zeenat Amaan on the oomph scale but the ruthlessness and anger that Ms. Amaan exhibited is hardly ever shown. Sorry, but the 'junglee billee' is just not ferocious enough!
If Isha Koppikar is happy just to stand in the company of SRK, then it's good, otherwise there is nothing much I can say about her performance. Kareena sizzles in her guest appearance.
The character of De Silva (formerly played by late Iftikhaar, arguably the best commissionar bollywood has ever had!) has been extended and given a completely new dimension. But there are some shades of cliches at times and I believe it could have been written better, specially in the second half. The best thing however is that it has been played by Boman Irani. From the very first movie he has shown that he is in a class of his own. All he needs a well-written character, which he almost gets here. Now I have only one request to him: please don't go back to doing films like 'Pyare Mohan'!
It was good to see Pawan Malhotra (Narang) on big screen after a long long time. He is a very good actor and definitely deserves more space and time than provided by this character. But I don't think that Om Puri needs to do such trifle roles, or is he just obliging Farhaan Akhtar?
Are we missing someone? No. Don requires special mention. SRK had a huge challenge and he surely lives up to expectations. Well almost! Though he has not been able to be as effortless as playing 'Mohan Bhargav' in Swades, he doesn't go over the top as in 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna'. He has been able to exhibit ruthlessness (and sometimes menace!) combined well with his trademark charm and this makes his portrayal different from Amitabh Bachchan's. But the taut jaw muscles and an occasional frown don't let him act as 'cool' as Mr. Bachchan was in the original film. However he is just not able to match the wits and charm of original 'Vijay'!
Farhan Akhtar may have fulfilled his childhood dream of 'paying homage' to the genius of Chandra Barot by making a super stylized version, but I don't think that this film is going to add to his reputation of a new age thinking film-maker.
The chase is still not over! You gotta do more to match classics.
My rating: 2.5/5
