Picture Show Pundits

Don (2006)

Review by Rachel [Rachel Moldstad] :

Ah, the gangster movie! Cool guys, beautiful women, exotic locations. Put in a whole lotta bling, a bit of 007 suavity, and a dose of fun action scenes, and you have Don, a Hindi film directed by Farhan Akhtar. Oh, did I forget to mention that the characters sing... and... dance? Welcome to Bollywood, home of India’s movie industry.

Bollywood’s key appeal is this-- it is escapism in capitals. Whatever one wants, be it romance, comedy, action, Hindi films deliver in bold, often long-winded packages. And, they literally give you a song and dance.

The setting is Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The story follows Don (Shah Rukh Khan), a rather vain and dangerous gangster. He is captured by Police Inspector DCP De Silva (Boman Irani) who has a plan to take down the entire organization. The plan rests on the shoulders of Vijay (also played by Shah Rukh Khan), a simple man and do-gooder who happens to exactly resemble Don. Vijay is put in his place, with no one the wiser except for De Silva. With De Silva’s unexpected death, Vijay is in for a whole lot of trouble.

Don has a definite Seventies aura about it. The characters and sets drip with that gold-tipped charisma that endures as the preferred way to display stars, spies, and mafia goons. They work and party hard. Don is a remake of the original film made in 1978. It starred famous Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan who is still a big man in the movie business today.

This film is a big step for the Indian film industry as far as action goes. I haven’t seen a Hindi film with this level of action before. It’s exciting to watch and nice to get away from the goofy sound effects that have previously peppered Indian films. The action has some unexpected elements, such as a split-screen car chase and a smart if unbelievable escape from an airplane. The shots and plot have many elements previously witnessed in similar movies, but with an Asian feel that makes them seem fresh.

Shah Rukh Khan heads the cast and is at his best in this movie-- playing the dual roles of Don and Vijay while executing tough stunts. His charisma carries the film well and gives it a center to dance around. He makes a cold-blooded killer likeable, no easy task in telling a story.

As is usual with this kind of film, the women are the window dressing. Nevertheless, Priyanka Chopra does a great job as Vijay's lover, Roma; Kareena Kapoor is memorable in her role as a grieving widow-- though her dance sequence early on in the movie, supposed to be seductive, is a bit laughable.

My favorite performance was by Arjun Rampal. He plays Jasjit, a father who has lost a wife and son, with straightforwardness that helps ground the movie in a bit of reality. Also in the film are Om Puri as Interpol officer Vishal Malik, Pavan Malhotra as Don’s henchman Narang, and, again, Irani who makes a great De Silva.

The best thing about the film is the music. Like every Bollywood film, it has the theatrical dance songs that make Indian movies so loved and reviled in turn. The theme music played throughout proves addicting. It really sets the mood for the whole film and gives the story an almost fairy tale quality. I still have it playing in my head.

With cool chase sequences, beautiful people, and unexpected turns, Don will keep you watching. Enjoy the ride.

06 May 2007