This song of Amitabh Bachchan was shot in a cowshed, producer was going through debt, became bankrupt, this song saved him from…, song was…
In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, many stars come and go, but there are some rare gems whose magic and presence on screen remain untouched and unmatched. One such similar tale is of the legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. Also, famously known by the name of 'Big B' and Shahenshah of Bollywood. Amitabh has delivered a streak of hits in his career trajectory like Sholay, Deewar, The Great Gambler, and Dostana. But among the many blockbusters, one film that stands out and has carried its legacy forward is Don. This cult classic film broke many records, but besides that, it also has some great behind-the-scenes stories that are nothing short of amazing. Don: The Cult Classic
Don was released in the year 1978. This film was initially produced by Nariman Irani, who was drowning in debt. To help recover from his financial constraints, director Chandra Barot took on the project. But destiny had something else in store. In an unfortunate event, Irani passed away during the shoot of another film. However, Chandra Barot didn't give up. Despite the emotional and financial blow, he completed the project. It took him three and a half years, and he even released it without any promotional budget. How Much Did Don Earn?
For the first week, the film was struggling, and within some time, the film picked up its pace. This film became the third-biggest hit of the year, earning Rs. 7.20 crores. Besides this, the film also featured 5 five songs, all of them turned out to be superhits. The film also went to bag awards and recognition. Don won three Filmfare Awards, including Best Male Playback Singer for Kishore Kumar, Best Female Playback Singer for Asha Bhosale, and Best Actor for Amitabh Bachchan. Why was 'Jise Taise Karlo Pyar Se' Shot Last Minute?
What's interesting is that the song of the film 'Jise Taise Karlo Pyar Se', was a last minute addition. Amitabh Bachchan had to fly for an international trip and had just one day in hand. The team shot this superhit song in just a single day in a cowshed in Goregaon, Mumbai. Within a few hours, the song was filmed, and history was made.
However, the film was already complete, and the director Barot didn't want to add songs. But it was lyricist Javed Akhtar who insisted that the film had too much action and the song should be added for balance. Even Manoj Kumar, Barot's mentor, seconded the suggestion. Despite tight deadlines and no funds, the song was included, and it became a massive hit
Even today, this film's iconic dialogue 'Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai' ('It's not just difficult to catch Don, it's impossible') resonates with the audience and has created a history
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The Hindu
23 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Amitabh Bachchan pens heartfelt note to ‘Don' director Chandra Barot
Veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot, best known for directing the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Don, passed away on Sunday (July 20, 2025) due to cardiac arrest at a hospital in Mumbai, his family said. He was 86. After the announcement of Barot's passing, tributes poured in from several Bollywood personalities, including megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who described the filmmaker as his "dear dear friend". ALSO READ:Amitabh Bachchan confirms son Abhishek Bachchan's role as antagonist in Shah Rukh Khan's 'King' Barot was battling 'Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis' (IPF-fibrosis of lungs) for the last 11 years and had been receiving treatment at the Guru Nanak Hospital, as per his family. Chandra Barot is survived by his wife and a son. In a heartfelt note, Bachchan said he was deeply saddened by the passing of his close friend Barot. "Another and another sad moment .. Dear dear friend and my director of DON - Chandra Barot passed away this morning. "It is difficult to put in words the loss. We worked together, yes, but he was more a family friend than any else ..I can only pray," the 82-year-old actor wrote on his blog. ALSO READ:Re-written by Salim-Javed Before making his directorial debut with Don, Barot served as an assistant director to actor-director Manoj Kumar in Purab Aur Pachhim, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Yaadgaar, and Shor. After Don, Chandra Barot directed a Bengali film - Aashrita (1989). Released in May 1978, Don, featuring Amitabh Bachchan in a double role – that of a mafioso and a simpleton – went on to become a blockbuster with its racy music, iconic dialogues and pulsating action. One of the most celebrated films of Chandra Barot's career, Don had its fair share of ups and downs. On the 40th anniversary of the movie in 2018, Chandra Barot in an interview with PTI shared an interesting insight that he, along with his friends Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman and Pran – all three who featured in 'Don' – decided to make the film to pull one of their producer friends, Nariman Irani, out of debt. 'Bawa's (Irani) wife was a hairdresser and knew writer Salim Khan. We asked her to put in a word for us. When we met Salim, he didn't have a script ready but told us, 'There is one subject which no one understands'. "We said, 'we don't care, we just want 'Salim-Javed' written on the posters'. It was a ready script and we took it immediately. It didn't even have a title. Everyone in the industry called it 'Don waali script' (A script about a don),' Chandra Barot had recalled. Sadly, Irani passed away six months before the release of Don, he added. The filmmaker also revealed that many big stars in the industry, including Dharmendra, Jeetendra and Dev Anand, had refused the movie, which was one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 1978. Don was turned into a franchise by filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, son of Javed Akhtar, who had written the original script of the movie along with Salim Khan. Film industry colleagues took to social media to mourn Chandra Barot's death, remembering him as a wonderful filmmaker who made one of the most entertaining Hindi movies – Don.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
When Amitabh Bachchan revealed that no distributor was ready to accept Chandra Barot's iconic film ‘Don': "They all thought..."
The entertainment industry is mourning the loss of yet another star, as veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot breathed his last on Sunday, July 20. After battling pulmonary fibrosis for seven years, he passed away at the age of 86, as confirmed by his wife to TOI. Though the filmmaker is gone, his legacy, his cinema, will keep him alive in the memories of generations to come. One of his most iconic movies, which raised the bar of cinema and to date is celebrated as a classic, is 'Don' starring Amitabh Bachchan . Released in 1978, the movie to date is unmatched. However, did you know that when the title of the movie was decided and presented to the producers, no one was ready to touch the film? When no distributor accepted the title of Chandra Barot's 'Don' According to PTI, in 2020, Amitabh Bachchan himself revealed this BTS tale in one of his official blog posts. He wrote - "When Chandra and Salim-Javed announced the name of the film as Don, no distributor was willing to accept the title. They all thought it to be named after the Dawn underwear, a popular brand during those times.' 'The film 'Godfather' was just making a mark in film circles. The word Don was unknown till then,' added the actor. Amitabh Bachchan's tribute to Chandra Barot Chandra Barot not only gave Amitabh Bachchan one of his critically acclaimed films, but also a friend. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Big B and Barot shared a beautiful bond, which was hard to put into words. The director's demise left Amitabh Bachchan in grief. In his loving memories, Big B on his official blog shared, 'Dear dear friend and my director of Don - Chandra Barot passed away this morning. It is difficult to put in words the loss... we worked together, yes, but he was more a family friend than anyone else. I can only pray (prayer emoji) (sic).' 'Don' The film 'Don' stars Amitabh Bachchan in two roles as Don and Vijay, with Zeenat Aman playing Roma. Further, there was Pran as Jasjit, Iftekhar as DSP D'Silva, and Om Shivpuri as Vardhaan, along with Satyen Kappu, P. Jairaj, Kamal Kapoor, Arpana Choudhary, and Helen. The story revolves around a notorious criminal known as Don. After a chase leads to Don's death, only one police officer is aware of the truth. To apprehend the remaining members of Don's gang, the officer enlists a simple man named Vijay, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Don. The movie's songs and dialogues are to date recalled with utmost love.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Chandra Barot, original ‘Don' director, passes away at 86
Mumbai: Film director Chandra Barot , best known for the blockbuster classic, Don (1978), which prompted multiple remakes in southern languages and spawned a series of sequels decades later, passed away due to medical complications at Guru Nanak Hospital in Bandra (east) on Sunday. He was 86. "My husband was suffering from pulmonary fibrosis for the past seven years. He died due to a cardiac arrest at 6.30 am,'' his wife Deepa Barot told TOI. Barot also directed the Bengali superhit, 'Ashrita' (1990), starring Mithu Mukherjee. Barot's family lived in Tanzania, but was forced to come back to India following racial conflicts in the East African country in the 1960s. His sister, Kamal Barot, was a playback singer in Bollywood. He assisted Bollywood biggie Manoj Kumar in films such as 'Purab Aur Pachhim', 'Shor' and 'Roti Kapada Aur Makaan'. The making of the original 'Don' is a legendary Bollywood tale. Barot's cinematographer-producer friend, Nariman Irani, was reeling under a debt of nearly Rs 12 lakh after his first film as producer, 'Zindagi Zindagi', had flopped. Barot offered to help. He was friendly with Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman having worked with them in 'Roti Kapada Aur Makaan'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo They all decided to work in 'Don' to help Irani. Tragically, Irani passed away in 1977, before Don could hit the screen. Amitabh Bachchan, who won the Best Actor Filmfare award, dedicated the award to Irani and his wife. In the 1970s, 'Don' was an unusual title for Hindi films. Barot's mentor, Manoj Kumar, had asked him with a quizzical tone if he was making some film called ``Down''! Barot explained that it was a Spanish word `Don' which actually meant `gentleman'. Kumar understood and suggested that the pacy second-half needed a song. The advice led to the birth of the chartbuster, 'Khai ke paan Benaraswala.' Don, which celebrated platinum jubilee, was remade in Tamil as Billa (1980) with Rajinikanth as hero. A year earlier, NT Rama Rao was the lead in Yugandhar, the film's Telugu version. In Malayalam, the film was remade as Shobharaj (1986) with Mohan Lal in lead. Later director Farhan Akhtar reinterpreted the movie in Don: The Chase Begins Again (2006) and Don 2: The Chase Continues. Several Bollywood personalities such as Farhan and Kunal Kohli mourned his passing on social media. "Saddened to learn that the director of the OG Don is no more. RIP Chandra Barot-ji. Deepest condolences to the family,'' posted Farhan. On a rainy Sunday, Barot's last rites were carried out at the Kherwadi based Hindu crematorium in Bandra (east). It was a low-key affair attended by his family members and some relatives. As the final rites took place, one could not help but recall a Barot remark he made years ago: "I will be remembered as the man who made Don".
