Don is a 1978 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Chandra Barot, produced by Nariman Irani, and written by the screenwriter duo Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar). The film stars Amitabh Bachchan in a double role alongside Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Helen and Om Shivpuri. Released on 12 May 1978, Don became one of the biggest commercial successes of the year and is widely regarded as a landmark in Hindi cinema for its tightly plotted crime narrative, stylised hero, and memorable music composed by Kalyanji–Anandji.
| Title | Don |
|---|---|
| Year | 1978 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Director | Chandra Barot |
| Producer | Nariman Irani |
| Writers | Salim–Javed (Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar) |
| Music | Kalyanji–Anandji |
| Lyrics | Anjaan, Indeevar |
| Lead cast | Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Helen, Om Shivpuri |
| Cinematography | Nariman Irani |
| Editor | Kamlakar Karkhanis |
| Release date | 12 May 1978 |
| Genre | Action, crime, thriller |
The narrative follows a ruthless international smuggler known as Don, operating out of Bombay under the watch of an Interpol-linked police officer, DSP D'Silva. After Don is fatally injured in a confrontation, D'Silva keeps the death secret and recruits Vijay, a simple paan-chewing street performer who is Don's exact lookalike, to infiltrate the syndicate. Vijay's mission is complicated by the parallel revenge plan of Roma, who has joined the gang to avenge her brother's death, and by D'Silva's sudden disappearance, which leaves Vijay branded as both criminal and impostor.
The film was the directorial debut of Chandra Barot, a former assistant to Manoj Kumar. The screenplay was written by Salim–Javed in the mid-1970s, during the period of their dominance in Hindi cinema following hits such as Zanjeer, Deewaar and Sholay. Don was produced by cinematographer Nariman Irani, partly as a means of clearing his debts after the commercial failure of his earlier production Zindagi Zindagi. Irani died during the making of the film, and it was completed and released posthumously.
The song "Khaike Paan Banaras Wala", picturised on Amitabh Bachchan, was reportedly added late in production at the suggestion of Manoj Kumar to break the tension of the second half. The number, written by Anjaan and sung by Kishore Kumar, became one of the most recognisable songs in Hindi film history.
The soundtrack was composed by Kalyanji–Anandji with lyrics by Anjaan and Indeevar. Notable tracks include:
Don opened to strong commercial success and emerged among the highest-grossing Hindi films of 1978. Amitabh Bachchan's dual performance — as the suave, cold-blooded Don and the earthy, comic Vijay — is regarded as one of the defining roles of his career. The film consolidated the "angry young man" persona while extending it into a slicker, urban-criminal mould distinct from earlier Salim–Javed scripts.
The film's tightly constructed thriller plot, with multiple twists and a now-iconic dialogue ("Don ka intezaar toh gyaarah mulkon ki police kar rahi hai…"), has been referenced extensively in later Indian popular culture. It is frequently cited in retrospectives of Hindi cinema of the 1970s and in studies of the Salim–Javed canon.
At the 26th Filmfare Awards, Amitabh Bachchan won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in Don.