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Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Chandra Barot struggled to promote Amitabh Bachchan's 'Don' after the producer's death, he settled Nariman Irani's debts after the film became a hit
Veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot passed away on Sunday (July 20) at the age of 86. The director had reportedly been battling pulmonary fibrosis. Following his demise, Amitabh Bachchan , who starred in the classic film 'Don' directed by Barot, shared a heartfelt note in his memory. Barot had once spoken about the financial struggles he faced during the release of 'Don' due to the untimely death of its producer. Barot revealed the financial struggles he endured while shooting Don In an old conversation with Syed Firdaus Ashraf, Barot opened up about the challenges 'Don' faced. Producer Nariman Irani passed away six months before the film's release, which significantly affected the production financially. 'Don' had to compete at the box office with major releases like Yash Chopra's 'Trishul', Satyajit Ray's 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi', 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram', and Prakash Mehra's 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar'. As a debut director, Barot had to navigate this competitive landscape without sufficient funds to promote the film. Official confirmation for 'Aankhen 2' soon They had no money for promotion after the producer's death Barot revealed that the film was shot on a shoestring budget of just Rs 25 lakh. After Irani's demise, many aspects of the project were at risk. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Casa Maquista chefs explore turmeric's essence in Macanese cuisine. MGTO Undo Initially, the response to 'Don' was underwhelming. Theatres saw low footfall, and the film was almost written off as a flop. However, that changed rapidly, due to its promising music and the power of word-of-mouth publicity. 'It was a big disappointment and declared a flop because not many people turned up. Luckily for me, within a week, the song Khaike Paan Banaraswala became a big hit. Word-of-mouth publicity led to the film becoming a major success from the second week onwards. It ran for 50 weeks in all centres and for 75 weeks in Hyderabad,' Barot recalled. 'Don' became a hit due to its music and word-of-mouth reviews B arot credited music director Babla for delivering a track that ultimately turned the tide for 'Don'. He also acknowledged actor Manoj Kumar, who gave him crucial advice during the film's final cut. Manoj suggested that the film felt too dry and needed a song to lift its appeal. 'Don' was the only film at the time in which Amitabh appeared in a solo lead role, unlike his other projects that featured ensemble casts. This added to Barot's pressure as a first-time filmmaker. Barot offered financial support to the late producer's family After the film became a box office success, Barot and his team made sure that Irani's debts were settled. 'When it became a big hit, we gave the money to Salma Irani, the producer's widow, to settle her husband's debts,' he said. The film also featured Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Om Shivpuri, and Satyen Kappu in key roles.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Brothers showcase turmeric and its golden status in Macanese cuisine
03:53 Casa Maquista chefs highlight turmeric's role in Macau's culinary identity Casa Maquista chefs highlight turmeric's role in Macau's culinary identity Back in the 1500s, when the Portuguese were sailing to and from Asia on their spice trade routes, turmeric was among the goods carried aboard their ships. This earthy, warm spice from the ginger family is instantly recognisable for its golden-orange hue and prized for its superfood properties. Fast-forward to 2025, and brothers Pedro and Mauro Almeida are experiencing their home country's maritime history in their own way. Both came to Macau from Portugal and are discovering the aromatic power of turmeric through their work as executive chefs of Casa Maquista, a Macanese restaurant located in the city's Taipa Village. Brothers Pedro (left) and Mauro Almeida are executive chefs at Casa Maquista, a restaurant located in Macau's Taipa Village that specialises in Macanese cuisine. 'If I have to pick a spice to represent Macau, it will be turmeric – it is found in a majority of Macanese recipes,' Mauro says. Pedro moved to Macau first, in 2016, and his first taste of the local cuisine was at a friend's home. His initial impression was that of familiarity: 'I found it similar to some Portuguese dishes, although it seems like they replaced the main ingredient with something sourced locally. It happens in many Macanese dishes.' He notes that the elements of Macanese cooking mirror the centuries-old sailing routes of Portuguese explorers and traders. 'In my opinion, Macanese cuisine reflects the journey of the Portuguese around the world. They picked ingredients from Brazil, ingredients from Africa, ingredients from India. And when they arrived in Macau, they finally put it all together and they created Macanese cuisine.' Mauro, who arrived in Macau in 2018, says: 'The flavours are very similar to Portuguese cuisine, but they have the smell of Asian cuisine.'
