Don released in 1978 and remains one of the biggest blockbusters of the 1970s. While speaking to Mr. Bachchan about the success of Don, he described it as a “freak” hit. And that it truly was. Don was made on a modest budget of just Rs. 84 lakhs. To date, it has amassed nearly Rs. 500 crores in worldwide revenue. Interestingly, the script had initially been rejected by both Dharmendra and Dev Anand. Writers Salim–Javed then offered it to Chandra Barot, who at the time was assisting filmmaker Manoj Kumar.
Farhan Akhtar on Don’s director Chandra Barot: “He achieved so much with so little”
During the making of Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Barot, who happens to be the younger brother of singer Kamal Barot (known for the evergreen duet Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra with Lata Mangeshkar), became close to Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman, both part of the film’s cast. That camaraderie led to the birth of Don.
One of the film’s most iconic elements, the song Khaike Paan Banaraswala, was originally composed by Kalyanji–Anandji for the Dev Anand starrer Banarasi Babu. However, Dev Anand, known for his urbane image, felt uncomfortable embracing the song’s earthy, rustic rhythm—and passed on it.
Imagine Don without Khaike Paan Banaraswala! It would be like paan without choona—missing the essential punch.
Farhan Akhtar, who rebooted Don decades later, recalls Chandra Barot with great respect. “I’ve heard stories from Dad about the financial compromises the director of Don had to make. Given that Chandra Barot and producer Nariman Irani, who also shot the film, had so few resources, I think the film achieved a lot in terms of its visuals and shot design. It was very cool for its time and budget. I tried to do something equally cool for our times,” Farhan says.
Chandra Barot’s legacy rests largely on Don, a film that made him a cult figure in Hindi cinema. Before Don, he had assisted Manoj Kumar on three films. Afterward, he directed just one more feature film — Ashrita — which was also a hit but never matched the legendary status of his first major directorial outing.
Also Read: Farhan Akhtar to start shooting Don 3 with Ranveer Singh from January 2026
More Pages: Don Box Office Collection
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