20-07-2025
‘Don' Director Chandra Barot Passes Away At 86, Wife Confirms Long Battle With Pulmonary Fibrosis
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Chandra Barot, director of the 1978 film Don, passed away at 86. His wife, Deepa Barot, confirmed he had been battling pulmonary fibrosis for seven years.
The director of the 1978 cult classic film, Don, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Chandra Barot, passed away at the age of 86 on Sunday, July 20. His demise has sent shockwaves through the film industry. It was his wife, Deepa Barot, who confirmed the news of his passing and revealed that he had not been keeping well for a while.
While speaking to TOI, Deepa Barot confirmed, 'He had been battling pulmonary fibrosis for the past seven years." She further revealed that the veteran filmmaker was undergoing treatment at Guru Nanak Hospital under Dr Manish Shetty. He had also been admitted to Jaslok Hospital earlier.
Barot was born and raised in Tanzania. After working at a bank, he decided to move to India and, under the mentorship of Manoj Kumar, joined the film industry. Chandra not only gave Indian cinema the cult classic Don but also worked as an assistant director on films like Purab Aur Pashchim, Yaadgaar, Shor, and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan.
Marking a major turning point, Barot and his associates decided to produce Don, bringing on board acclaimed writers Salim–Javed, who provided a script that had been rejected by leading filmmakers like Dev Anand, Dharmendra, and Jeetendra.
After Don, Barot directed the Bengali film Aashrita (1989) and Pyar Bhara Dil (1991), but many of his subsequent projects, including Boss and Neil Ko Pakadna… Impossible, remained unfinished or unreleased. Meanwhile, his Don franchise became so popular that it developed its own universe. Shah Rukh Khan starred in the 2006 film of the same title but with a different storyline—an ode to Chandra's work. Later, Shah Rukh made a prequel to his Don, and now Farhan Akhtar is directing the third part in the franchise with Ranveer Singh playing the hero and Kriti Sanon starring as the female lead.
At the time of his passing, Chandra Barot had been battling pulmonary fibrosis for several years and was undergoing treatment in Mumbai. He leaves behind a legacy that continues to inspire generations of filmmakers and fans alike.
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