Well it might have been too late in the day, nevertheless here it is. Due to the severe panning by critics since the release, I took my own sweet time to wobble inside a theatre to watch Don---with zero expectations. And boy, wasn’t I pleasantly surprised. What is the hulaboo about??? Don is a slick and stylish remake of the original with delicious twists, full entertainment and a terrific climax. Farhan Akhtar delivers and succeeds in making Don what he’s supposed to be- a ruthless, clever, gaming, invincible conman. And its SRK’s show all the way. He’s incredible as the scheming Don and gives a mind-blowing performance. Comparisons with the original are inevitable but view the movie as a stand alone and you would truly enjoy it.
The film begins with the amazing Paris sequence and one is all set for a roller coaster ride, which the first half is for the most part. The basic storyline is weaved through a smart screenplay and all the memorable sequences in the original Don are presented in a stylized manner. One cannot help but feel a sense of deja vu whenever Shahrukh mouths those classic dialogues, and he does it in his own inimitable style. In fact, it is his screen presence that elevates the impact of many key scenes to a considerable extent. The Kareena Kapoor episode, priyanka’s revenge motive, De’silva’s gameplan, and Vijay becoming Don lead to the clever twist in the interval and one looks forward to the second half.
It is in the post-interval portions that the fun begins. It is here that farhan holds you by your hand and takes you through the complexities of the script though some very suspenseful moments. The twists and turns in the plot now come to the fore and you’re hooked, eventually leading to the climax which is shocking and brilliant from the writing point of view. Farhan takes the original and puts in his own brilliant touches that are sure to stun the audience, especially the climax. Really, the conclusion alone is worth the price of the ticket.
The performances are good, by and large. SRK is astounding as the Don and eminently watchable as Vijay, he is the blood and life of the film. This is one of his most entertaining performances till date. Priyanka Chopra is consistent and plays to the gallery. Her stunts are praise-worthy. Kareena Kapoor impresses in her special apperance. She weaves magic into the "Yeh Mera Dil" track. Isha Koppikar has nothing much to do. Boman Irani is a complete misfit here and that’s sad. He seems completely drained out for this role. Nope irani saheb, you missed the boat here completely. A typrical case of miscasting. Om Puri is wasted. Arjun Rampal is quite good within the limited chracterization scope (and that’s a minus) his role offers.
Special mention to the cinmatography, stylish look , stunts and Background score. The music is in sync with the genre of the film and is smartly done. The background score heightens the impact of several scenes, especially the chase sequences.
Any blemishes? Yes, the inconsistent pace and the poor characterisations of some key cheracters like arjun rampal and Om Puri.
Overall, a good film and definitely amonst the better products by bollywood. Go watch it if you haven’t already done so!