28/03/2021
If you loved the cult film Don and are a trivia ju**ie, you will love this post.
It was a film made purely to rescue the producers wife from heavy debt. It turned out to be a classic. Movie fans are till date indebted to director Chandra Barot. Don remains one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
1. Cinematographer Nariman Irani turned producer with Zindagi Zindagi. The film starring Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman bombed at the box office. The setback took a heavy toll on Irani's health. He was under severe debt and there was no clue where the money would come from.
2. His friend and asst director of Roti Kapda Aur Makaan Chandra Barot decided to help him from this financial mess. They decided to make another film which seemed the only solution.
3. While the talks were on oneday at the shooting of Kranti at Raj Kamal studio a wall collapsed because of a sudden cloud burst and torrential rains in Bombay. Irani was badly injured. His condition worsened due to his failing health and he passed away subsequently leaving his innocent wife in a state of shock.
4. Chandra Barot decided to proceed and assured Irani's wife he would do his best and save the honor. He spoke to his closest friends Zeenat Aman and Amitabh Bachchan. They agreed and the venture gained momentum.
5. Zeenat agreed to do it free so did Amitabh. Pran who heard the reason pitched in saying "I too will do it do it free". Barot was overwhelmed by the support extended. Manoj Kumar said, "you can use my equipment and even the sets". Dates were finalized but where was the script ?
6. Waheeda Rehman when got to know from Irani's wife, who was her hairdresser, suggested to Barot that Salim Javed had a script which many (Prakash Mehra, Gulshan Rai, Dev Anand) had rejected. "Give it a shot" said the veteran actress. Waheeda was living in a rental flat in Bandra owned by Salim Khan. She spoke to him and arranged the meeting. The script was filmy, pacy with lots of action which appealed to Barot. He agreed to use it. The working title used by Salim Javed was "The Don'.
7. Barot, being a huge James Bond fan, decided to make it slicker with fast cars, chase, power packed action and women. He wanted the opening scene itself dramatic thus when the goons threaten Don he throws the briefcase and it explodes. Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin namumkin hai.
8. The project kicked off with the song picturisation of 'Yeh mera dil'. Barot borrowed rs 40k from his sister singer Kamal Barot which she gave as shagun. Amitabh wore the green shirt and striped blazer which he had purchased during his honeymoon in London. Helen politely accepted a token amount for her small but significant role.
9. The body double used for Zeenat for the action sequences was a stuntman names Hussain. Since she sported a boy cut it didnt get noticed.
10. The chase scene after Roma cuts the rope was shot in the basement of Hotel Searock. The scene where Don talks to Ifteqar standing on the bridge was shot at Bombay Ahmdebad highway.
11. Due to financial hassles the film got delayed for 3 years. The film was made with a modest budget of 25 lacs.
12. When Barot showed the film to his mentor Manoj Kumar he felt the second half was too serious and required a relief factor. He suggested a song be interspersed. Thus came the song situation 'Khaike oan banaraswala'. Since Vijay had a weakness for Pan. The song was composed by Babla (Kalyanji Anandji's brother who worked as their asst) During the song recording Kishoreda insisted on eating a banarasi pan before recording it. The demand was fulfilled.
13. An arguement erupted between lyricist Indeeevar and composers Kalyani Anandji when lyricist Anjaan was roped in for a song. The former insisted he wouldn't share the songs with anyone else in the same film. Finally Indeevar quit the film after penning one song 'Yeh mera dil'.
14. For the shooting of 'Hi hai bambai nagariya' a garish shirt was required. A spot boy was sent urgently to linking road to purchase it.
15. Barot tried a new technique for the credit roll. He used the dhobi talao chase scene but in negative. The lightest area in the film roll appear darkest and vice versa. It was for the first time this experiment was tried in India. It was fascinating.
16. During the dubbing actor who played Raj Singh, who appears as the goon in the opening scene, failed to turn up. Actor Devan Verma who was editing his film Besharam in the same studio was requested and he willingly obliged. Impressed with the opening scene he requested Barot to show him the first sequence. When he saw the credit titles shot in negatives he was impressed but remained quiet. When Besharam released one month before Don Devan Varma had pilfered the same style. Barot was deeply hurt and felt that the actor had lived up to his films title Besharam.
17. Pran"s character Jasjit was normal according to the script. Since Pran had met with an accident and injured his leg the character used a walking stick and limped.
18. ViJay's character was inspired from one of Sanjeev Kumar's 9 characters from Nai Din Nai Raat, who keeps eating pan.
19. Farida Jalal had a small role has RK Malicks daughter. Her scenes were chopped at the editing table as it was dragging the film.
20. Mac Mohan played a prank on Bachchan during the car chase scene by driving fast and scaring him. Bachchan got back by adding alcohol in his drink during the song picturisation of "Aarey deewane mujhe pehchano'
Mac was actually sozzled in the song.
21. The scene where Pran walks on the rope was included on the insistence of the distributors who wanted more drama. Javed Akhtar hated the inclusion which he found ludicrous.
22. Rajendra Kumar was keen on playing DSP Dsilva. However Barot opted for Ifteqar.
23. When Amitabh won the best actors filmfare award he called Nariman Irani's widow on stage to receive the trophy.
24. The famous title music was inspired from Piero Umiliani's 'Open space'. It was cleverly crafted by Kalyanjibhai.
25. Most of the costumes used in the film were from the personal wardrobe of the actors. This way they cut cost.
26. Amitabh had hurt his leg on the sets at Chandvili studio and during the song Khaike pan banataswala he was limping after every shot at Mehboob studios.
27. Manoj Kumar overheard his driver telling someone, "Ek film ban raha hai Down". He suggested the film be named 'The Don'. Barot finally decided Don was the apt title.
28. Due to paucity of funds some scenes and a song was shot on the sets of Nadiadwalas 'Adalat ' also starring Bachchan.
29. To avoid cost of a real location and various permissions a set of the cemetary was created. The names of the crew members were inscribed on the graves. The unit had a fun time shooting.
30. Due to lack of funds the film was poorly advertised. The critics declared the film a flop but due to word of mouth publicity it went to become a blockbuster hit earning 7 crores. A substantial amount was handover to Irani's widow after the debt was cleared. The lead actors were handed a pay packet as a token of love for their support.
