Overview
Don 2 is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Farhan Akhtar and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment. It is a sequel to the 2006 film Don: The Chase Begins Again, which itself was a remake of the 1978 film Don. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan in the title role, with Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Om Puri and Kunal Kapoor in supporting roles. It also marked the Hindi film debut of British actor Hrishitaa Bhatt's contemporaries through the introduction of new international cast members.
Key Facts
| Title | Don 2 |
|---|---|
| Director | Farhan Akhtar |
| Producers | Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar |
| Production company | Excel Entertainment |
| Writers | Farhan Akhtar, Ameet Mehta |
| Lead cast | Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Om Puri, Kunal Kapoor |
| Music | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
| Cinematography | Jason West |
| Editor | Anand Subaya |
| Release date | 23 December 2011 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Country | India |
| Distributor | Reliance Entertainment |
Plot
The film picks up five years after the events of the first instalment. Don, having consolidated his control over the Asian drug cartel, sets his sights on dominating the European narcotics trade. To accomplish this, he surrenders himself to Interpol with a larger objective in mind: to break out of a high-security prison in Malaysia and execute an audacious heist at the Deutsche Zentralbank in Berlin. Officer Roma, who continues to pursue him for personal and professional reasons, is drawn into the operation along with Interpol officer Malik.
Cast
- Shah Rukh Khan as Don / Vijay
- Priyanka Chopra as Roma
- Lara Dutta as Ayesha
- Boman Irani as Vardhaan
- Om Puri as Malik
- Kunal Kapoor as Sameer Ali
- Aly Khan as Jabbar
- Nawab Shah as Zahabia
- Florian Lukas as Hans
Production
Principal photography was carried out across Malaysia, Germany, Switzerland and Thailand. A significant portion of the film was shot in Berlin, where the production team filmed sequences at locations including the city's central districts. Action sequences and stunts were choreographed by international stunt coordinators, with Matthias Barsch handling key action set pieces. Salim Arif and Acropolis worked on the production design, recreating the look of an international thriller.
Music
The soundtrack was composed by the trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics written by Javed Akhtar. The album included the title track Don 2 Theme, along with songs such as Zara Dil Ko Thaam Lo, Hai Yeh Maya and Mujhko Pehchaanlo. The music was released by T-Series.
Release
Don 2 was released theatrically on 23 December 2011. It was released in 2D as well as in a converted 3D format, making it one of the early Hindi mainstream films to be released in 3D. The film was distributed internationally by Reliance Entertainment.
Box office
The film opened to strong commercial response in India and overseas markets, particularly in the Gulf, the United Kingdom and North America. It emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2011.
Critical reception
Critics generally praised the film's slick visual style, international locations, action set pieces and Shah Rukh Khan's performance in the title role. The polished production values and Farhan Akhtar's direction were singled out, while some reviewers commented on the screenplay's pacing.
Awards and recognition
Don 2 was screened in the Out of Competition section at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2012, becoming one of the few mainstream Hindi films of its time to be presented at the festival. The film also received nominations at major Indian film awards, including the Filmfare Awards and Screen Awards, in technical and acting categories.
Significance
The film is regarded as a notable entry in Hindi action cinema for its globalised setting, technical finish, and its place in the larger Don franchise that originated with the 1978 Chandra Barot–directed original starring Amitabh Bachchan. The success of Don 2 reinforced the viability of franchise filmmaking in Bollywood and contributed to the growing trend of Hindi films being shot extensively overseas with international crews.
Related topics
- Don: The Chase Begins Again
- Don (1978 film)
- Farhan Akhtar
- Shah Rukh Khan
- Priyanka Chopra
- Excel Entertainment
- Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
- Berlin International Film Festival
- Bollywood
References
- Excel Entertainment official film records.
- Berlinale 2012 official programme listings.
- Coverage in Indian film trade publications including Film Information and Box Office India.