The 1978 film “Don” featured Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role: as a merciless mafia leader and his doppelganger, Vijay, a resident of the slums. The police enlist Vijay to impersonate the gang leader following his demise. In 2006, Akhtar revived the series with Shah Rukh Khan taking on the dual roles of Don and Vijay in “Don: The Chase Begins Again.” This rendition was a massive success, leading to the 2011 sequel, “Don 2.”
The much-anticipated movie, Don 3, has been making headlines recently, especially with the news of a change in the lead role. The film’s director, Farhan Akhtar, has been open about the changes and the direction he intends to take with this new installment.
Farhan Akhtar And SRK Couldn’t Find Common Ground On Story
Farhan Akhtar revealed in an exclusive interview with Variety that he wanted to take a certain direction with the story of Don 3. However, he and Shah Rukh Khan, who played the lead role in the previous two installments, couldn’t find common ground. This led to a decision to bring in a new actor for the lead role.
Farhan Akhtar said, “I’m not in the position of replacing anybody. These are things that we discussed over the years, I wanted to take a certain direction with the story, somehow we just couldn’t find common ground. We just parted mutually knowing that it’s probably for the best. So that’s where it is,” Akhtar said.
(Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan Set To Cross 475 Cr Net Hindi After Week Two, Set To Emerge HIGHEST Grosser Ever)
Introducing Ranveer Singh as ‘New Don’
The new face of Don is none other than Ranveer Singh. This decision was met with criticism from fans who were used to seeing Shah Rukh Khan in the iconic role.
“I’m really excited Ranveer’s on board. He’s so charged and so ready to go. It’s a big film, just purely from the point of view of an actor, it’s a big thing to do, and we’re really excited to have him on board. His energy is energizing us, so to speak,” Akhtar added.
Farhan Akhtar had addressed this criticism earlier also by assuring fans that Singh will do a “great job” in the role. Akhtar recalled how even Shah Rukh Khan faced criticism when he took on the role previously played by Amitabh Bachchan. He emphasized the importance of an actor making the character their own and expressed confidence in Singh’s ability to do so.
He had said, “Ranveer has proved himself to be a really good actor and a versatile actor. So, I’m not worried and he shouldn’t be either. I can say that without a shadow of a doubt, he’s going to give an absolutely slamming performance in the film. It’s natural for people to react in this way. In 2006, everybody said ‘How can you touch Mr Bachchan’s Don?’ and how would Shah Rukh play the role. So, it’s understandable. People have emotional connections to certain films, certain songs, and certain people, and you cannot deny that. You can’t diminish it by pretending it doesn’t exist. You have to respect it. And I respect everyone’s feelings towards Don. The people who have been disappointed, I respect their feelings, the people who are excited, I respect their feelings. My focus is to make a good film and hopefully, people will come in and love it, like they loved the one in 2006.”
Looking Forward
Farhan Akhtar has confirmed that shooting for Don 3 will not begin until 2025, and the cast is yet to be finalized. Despite the early announcement of the film, Akhtar stated that he wanted the audience to know who would be the new Don. The film is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar of Excel Entertainment with Akhtar set to direct.
On asking how much pressure is he feeling as a director on Don 3, Farhan had added, “Maybe I’m a sucker for pain. I did it once before, in 2006, and I wanted that feeling to come back so I’m doing it again (laughs). But jokes aside, as a filmmaker, I have to stay focused on what I want to make. There will be all sorts of feelings and reactions but that cannot dictate what I’m going to do next.”
There have been rumours of Kiara Advani or Kriti Sanon playing the leading lady. When asked who would be taking up the role of Jungli Billi in Don 3, after Zeenat Aman and Priyanka Chopra, he said “Well, all of it is a work in progress. I’ve never been someone who keeps my cards so close to my chest. I’m happy to let everybody know but I don’t want to throw a name out there which isn’t true.”
With this new direction and lead actor, fans are eagerly waiting to see how Don 3 will unfold. As Farhan Akhtar continues to redefine storytelling with this upcoming project, one thing is certain – Don 3 is set to be an exciting chapter in this cult classic series.
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