DON
(At Delite and other Delhi theatres)
Wow! Shah Rukh Khan is no longer a prisoner of his image. No longer timid, no longer shy. He dares now to step beyond his usual Raj-Rahul act and steps into sacrosanct Bachchan territory. For a few fleeting moments he forgets he is Shah Rukh Khan and embraces the heart, soul and body of the Big B's much talked about Don that the super star played with such nonchalant ease in Chandra Barot's film way back in 1978.


Gone here now is Shah Rukh's hamming spree, gone are the languid ways. Instead there is a swagger in his walk, and some purpose in his talk. And such irrepressible energy! Untamed, unbridled, a one-man army that takes Farhan Akhtar's film to safe waters.


For quite a while here Shah Rukh manages to prove the pundits wrong: yes, he is a star, but he is an actor too. His fan following comes as much from his familiar old charisma as his craft. As Don in this technically savvy, visually enthralling film he packs quite a punch. In some of the scenes he manages the Bachchan part incredibly well; in others he falls short. Notably the "Khaike Paan Banaraswala... ." song where he is a pale shadow of what the Big B achieved some 30 years ago. Or some of the dialogue where his facial expressions, his eyes don't quite have the menace one associates with Bachchan.


These are, however, only some of the stray moments in the film. Otherwise "Don" in its all new avatar is not just a dusting off of the original. The director takes the good old script, borrows a couple of songs, retains most of the characters all right, but also gives new twists and turns. Which means that just when you sit back, happy and comfortable in the knowledge of what's going to happen next, there is a surprise. And that gives this film a new zing, a new chutzpah. Despite being a remake, the director manages to infuse an element of ingenuity, startling all of us.


This con game involving a cocaine trader who kills people like one swats flies in the countryside and flees from the scene faster than the cops reach, has its flaws too. Notably, the girls.


Priyanka Chopra with her stiff waist and less-than-elementary acting skills is no Zeenat Aman. Though she tries hard in the action sequences, this is another listless performance from the girl who failed to sparkle in "Krrish" not long ago too. Then there is Kareena, who tries to do a Helen and learns an important lesson: there was, is, and will be, only one Helen. And Isha Koppikar? Didn't notice her doing anything worthwhile in the film. Maybe she signed it to stave off boredom from underemployment.


Keeping the girls company in the negative section is the film's editing and music. The thriller with all its fast cars, faster guys, bullets and baddies needed tighter editing. As for Shanker-Ehsaan-Loy's music, well, suffice it to say that the good old "Khaike Paan... ." is still more delicious than any of the new stuff they have churned out.


Yes, there are negatives but they don't outweigh the positives. Which means you can go ahead, sit back, watch and enjoy Farhan Akhtar's designer "Don" this Diwali weekend. And maybe come back surprised that Shah Rukh's is not such a pale imitation of Bachchan after all.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/21/stories/2006102106360200.htm

 

At last, a reasonably fair interview. I don't agree with these:

a. That SRK doesn't match up to the old 'Khaike' - again, like comparing chalk and cheese.

b. Or that sometimes, his expressions aren't as menacing as AB's(did this writer take along a magnifying glass, maybe?)SRK has virtually reinvented the meaning of the word 'menacing' with this movie. AB in the original always looked like AB, the cool and suave superstar.

c. PC vs. Zeenie - again, a case of nostalgia overtaking logic. Zeenie was never a great actress, but she fitted the 'westernized' image of Roma. PC did what she could and imo, was streets ahead of her silly Krrish role.

Isha - I kind of agree with the writer, but it's unfair to blame the girl for non-performance. Having decided to increase her role from the original, I think Anita could have been given a little more character development by Farhan - her jealousy was allowed to register only fleetingly.

 

finally good review but I still hate the fact they still compare to the old don