So the big question first – Can Shah Rukh do what Amitabh did? Heck, NO! But is Shah Rukh good? Indeed, just rid the comparisons.
The first scene - ritzy Paris café, the classy Khan and his ringing cellphone… ’Don’ he answers …yes you can expect a ’James Bond’ or ’James Don’ right after! For the tone and technique might make you ask – is it a Bond remake? No exaggeration. The swanky setup and richie rich manner definitely fails to give a peep into the original - the Don who was!
However, there isn’t much departure from the original storyline. Don is the same cunning character with lots of style added. Drugs and arms trafficking is what he deals in and traitors and deserters find it impossible to escape him.
Ramesh, an efficient assistant is killed by Don, when he tries to leave the underworld to go away with his Fiancée Kamini. Roma, Ramesh’s sister, vows to enter Don’s gang and take revenge.
Meanwhile, a senior cop DeSilva manages to chase Don to India and capture him. Taking him in captive, DeSilva convinces a look alike – Vijay – to impersonate Don and act as an informer. Things take a twist when the DCP himself dies. The fact that Vijay is not the real Don, gets buried with him forever. And the end? Well Farhan dares to depart from the original… but leaves behind many unanswered questions.
SRK indeed has done his job well. He has imparted negative shades to the character with utmost precision. He has added swank and grandeur to the otherwise crude character. And has made "being bad" very cool!
Yet there are certain not-needed elements - the typical SRK expressions, the much-expected SRK smile and of course the unwanted picture-perfect. For all these fancy factors take the neo-Don too far away from the suave, composed and all supreme Don, who did things with exuberance… He could not portray arrogance in a subtle manner and went on to create his own mannerisms (not-needed again!) instead.
The point where SRK fell flat on his face was while enacting the crude Vijay. Although the star tried hard to shed his glamorous cover and get into the ’khai ke paan Banaras wala’ mode, the ’paan’aholic Vijay remained a far fetched dream.
One character who deserves special appreciation is Priyanka Chopra. Slipping smoothly into Zenath Aman’s role, Roma is the oh-so-hot girl ’n yet not-so-vulnerable persona. The tough chick, who would do anything to avenge her brother’s death, enacted martial-arts-chops and performed some unusual stunts. To what effect? Well that’s a different discussion altogether.
Boman Irani, like any other time, stands out to be the most balanced character. He gets deep into the skin of his role and manages to give a 100 per cent to his shade.
But, unfortunately the character strength ends here. Isha Koppikar is a waste. Kareena Kapoor has robbed the character Kamini, originally played by Helen, of its sensuousness and grace. Her ’yeh mera dil…’ gets no where close to the sizzle sparked by Helen.
Om Puri, the Interpol officer, doesn’t get much of screen presence and is a wasted talent. No dialogue, no action of his could justify his presence in the film.
The music too remained on the low-side. For a few beats added here ’n there did not make the impact it could have.
But what’s most surprising is Farhan Akhtar himself. Although he is one of the finest directors we have today and his direction carries a lot of polish, one place where he flounders is in the pace of the film. There are instances when the three hour film becomes difficult to deal with. And the struggle to add an original touch, too, leaves a big question mark over Farhan’s direction. For the inputs of so many twists and turns could have been easily avoided.
It’s indeed more radiant, more modish and a definite visual treat than its inspiration but the beautiful body lacks the real essence.
Yes, it’s true that a classic is once in a lifetime phenomenon and recreating the magic is simply impossible and more so when it is Amitabh Bachchan who’s etched on the mind.
Yet it’s the effort that counts! And if we take a two path track and check out Don as unrelated to anything or anyone, Farhan’s tribute to the original Don, which may have changed shades through the stylish sunglasses and luxurious limos, is indeed a good flavour to try!
Coming to the box-office scenario, the film is likely to boom and bloom for all the curiosity, for the comparison factor, for the Big B vs SRK factor, for SRK’s mere presence, for its high-expectations, for being a film by the maker of Dil Chahta Hai and also for its screenplay, editing, storyline, SFX.