It's often difficult to be tolerant to someone who tries to imitate greatness! It was the same prejudice that preceded the arrival of the SRK starer Don in 2006, the remake of the 1978 classic by the same name with Mr Bachchan in the title role. Besides, it is inevitable for any remake to be compared endlessly to the original. Despite all odds the movie did considerably well on the box office primarily because of Farhan Akhtar's imaginative yet calculative movie-making. The new elements introduced into the plot also gave the movie a breath of fresh air. Also, it was the crucial role played by SRK, in making the movie significantly different than its precursor, who mustered all his courage and talent to conjure up an alter ego that offered a great contrast to Mr. Bachchan's portrayal in the original motion picture. Farhan Akhtar and his entire team worked meticulously to keep the movie free of any possible anachronisms, which are often unavoidable in such remakes. By the time the movie approached its climactic finale, it became quite obvious even to the most seasoned viewer that Farhan Akhtar's vision behind the remake far transcended the mere thought of imitating the classic. He had set his goals much higher with the idea of establishing a completely new franchise at its core. The half a decade hiatus after the 2006 remake can be attributed to Farhan's attempt at self indulgence, which got him completely disillusioned about his directorial prowess, to make way for the latent actor in him, as he strived to prove his acting mettle in movies like Rock On!! (2008), Luck by Chance (2009), Karthik Calling Karthik(2010), and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011). To Farhan's credit, he did succeed in getting the actor in him to get going on the celluloid.
Since the last few years, the grapevine had been rife with speculations pertaining to Akhtar's behind the camera return for the much anticipated sequel of Don with SRK reprising his role of the most decorated mafia kingpin in the history of Indian Cinema. The speculations were brought to rest as the makers finally confirmed the movie's 2011 Christmas release. The promotions for the movie started a bit late and strangely lacked the the usual hullabaloo that surrounds an SRK release. With Don 2, Farhan Akhtar takes the high stake battle between life and death to a completely new echelon with a screenplay that's as taut as it's exhilarating . Don 2 is a high octane extravaganza that presents an average viewer with everything that he possibly craves for—action, voyeur, thrill and intrigue. The movie is full of pleasant surprises and keeps the viewer interested throughout. The movie lulls the viewer into a perpetual frenzy, which a modern cineaste demands and deserves. The movie's heist-like setup makes it conducive to high speed car chases, vertiginous jumps, voyeuristic escapades, hand-to-hand combat, blood-cuddling shootout sequences, etc.
There seems a paradigm shift in the quality of movie making compared to the general trends in the Hindi Cinema. The actions sequences depicted in the movie are at par with the international standards. The highly punctilious team of internationally acclaimed stunt coordinator Wolfgang Stegemann seems to have inoculated the movie with an ineffable sense of realism that is often missing in Indian productions. The entire cast and crew have done a phenomenal job in bringing the movie and its vivid characters to life. SRK once again shines as the glacial, conniving, quick-witted, rugged, cool & calculative, perpetually smirked underworld kingpin Don. Don 2 is SRK's movie from inception to finale and it is his omnipresence that takes the movie a couple of notches up. In some scenes, his antics and mannerisms are highly reminiscent of Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, but SRK carries himself with such poise that he seems quite natural at it. The viewer also gets the privilege of witnessing SRK in the new avatar of an Action hero, which he pulls off with same finesse. Some of SRK's most staunch critics might censure him for overplaying the part, but apparently the script demanded such high levels of intensity. During the course of the movie, SRK gets to depict a wide variety of contrasting demeanors as Don goes about his usual business, driving high on his ever reliable instinct, making new enemies, friends, patching up with old enemies, and once again making them into enemies. The opening action sequence and the classic car chase—the best chase scene ever filmed in Hindi cinema—remind a lot of the traditional elements of a Bond movie, but not without a 'Desi' tinge. Priyanka Chopra offers a nice contrast to SRK's part as a mobster's moll in the making, but fails to leave her signature on the movie. Almost everyone in the supporting cast has given a worthy performance with special mention of Boman Irani, Lara Dutta, and Aly Khan. Movie's cinematography, sound, editing and choreography are all state of the art.
Overall, Don 2 is an exhilarating ride for the Action movie enthusiasts as well as for all those whose primary aim is entertainment. All those who look for cinematic profundity or pristineness can also partially enjoy the movie, but only by slackening the screws of scrutiny. Don 2 has set the ball rolling for more movies to come in the franchise, while also setting a new benchmark for Hindi Cinema. A must watch for Heist and Action lovers. 8/10
For more, please visit my movie blog: A Potpourri of Vestiges
www.apotpourriofvestiges.com
Since the last few years, the grapevine had been rife with speculations pertaining to Akhtar's behind the camera return for the much anticipated sequel of Don with SRK reprising his role of the most decorated mafia kingpin in the history of Indian Cinema. The speculations were brought to rest as the makers finally confirmed the movie's 2011 Christmas release. The promotions for the movie started a bit late and strangely lacked the the usual hullabaloo that surrounds an SRK release. With Don 2, Farhan Akhtar takes the high stake battle between life and death to a completely new echelon with a screenplay that's as taut as it's exhilarating . Don 2 is a high octane extravaganza that presents an average viewer with everything that he possibly craves for—action, voyeur, thrill and intrigue. The movie is full of pleasant surprises and keeps the viewer interested throughout. The movie lulls the viewer into a perpetual frenzy, which a modern cineaste demands and deserves. The movie's heist-like setup makes it conducive to high speed car chases, vertiginous jumps, voyeuristic escapades, hand-to-hand combat, blood-cuddling shootout sequences, etc.
There seems a paradigm shift in the quality of movie making compared to the general trends in the Hindi Cinema. The actions sequences depicted in the movie are at par with the international standards. The highly punctilious team of internationally acclaimed stunt coordinator Wolfgang Stegemann seems to have inoculated the movie with an ineffable sense of realism that is often missing in Indian productions. The entire cast and crew have done a phenomenal job in bringing the movie and its vivid characters to life. SRK once again shines as the glacial, conniving, quick-witted, rugged, cool & calculative, perpetually smirked underworld kingpin Don. Don 2 is SRK's movie from inception to finale and it is his omnipresence that takes the movie a couple of notches up. In some scenes, his antics and mannerisms are highly reminiscent of Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, but SRK carries himself with such poise that he seems quite natural at it. The viewer also gets the privilege of witnessing SRK in the new avatar of an Action hero, which he pulls off with same finesse. Some of SRK's most staunch critics might censure him for overplaying the part, but apparently the script demanded such high levels of intensity. During the course of the movie, SRK gets to depict a wide variety of contrasting demeanors as Don goes about his usual business, driving high on his ever reliable instinct, making new enemies, friends, patching up with old enemies, and once again making them into enemies. The opening action sequence and the classic car chase—the best chase scene ever filmed in Hindi cinema—remind a lot of the traditional elements of a Bond movie, but not without a 'Desi' tinge. Priyanka Chopra offers a nice contrast to SRK's part as a mobster's moll in the making, but fails to leave her signature on the movie. Almost everyone in the supporting cast has given a worthy performance with special mention of Boman Irani, Lara Dutta, and Aly Khan. Movie's cinematography, sound, editing and choreography are all state of the art.
Overall, Don 2 is an exhilarating ride for the Action movie enthusiasts as well as for all those whose primary aim is entertainment. All those who look for cinematic profundity or pristineness can also partially enjoy the movie, but only by slackening the screws of scrutiny. Don 2 has set the ball rolling for more movies to come in the franchise, while also setting a new benchmark for Hindi Cinema. A must watch for Heist and Action lovers. 8/10
For more, please visit my movie blog: A Potpourri of Vestiges
www.apotpourriofvestiges.com