Veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot, director of Amitabh Bachchan's ‘Don', passes away at 86
His wife, Deepa Barot, confirmed to the Times of India, noting that he had been battling pulmonary fibrosis for the past seven years.
Barot was receiving treatment at Guru Nanak Hospital in Bandra under the care of Dr. Manish Shetty and had previously been admitted to Jaslok Hospital, according to a report by the Times of India.
Born and raised in Tanzania, Chandra Barot began his professional life working at a bank before moving to India to pursue a career in films under the mentorship of actor-director Manoj Kumar.
He started out as an assistant director on several notable films, including Purab Aur Pachhim, Yaadgaar, Shor, and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. In Purab Aur Pachhim, he worked closely with Manoj Kumar as his assistant.
Barot made his mark in Indian cinema by directing the 1978 cult classic Don. After its success, he went on to direct the Bengali film Aashrita in 1989, which grossed ₹ 3 crore, followed by Pyar Bhara Dil in 1991. However, many of his later projects—including Boss, Neil Ko Pakadna... Impossible, and Hong Kong Wali Script were shelved or never released.
Despite this, Don became a cinematic landmark, eventually evolving into a popular franchise with its legacy in Bollywood.
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Time of India
4 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".
Time of India
5 hours ago
- 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.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Amitabh Bachchan mourns the loss of 'Don' director Chandra Barot: ‘Another and another sad moment'
The film industry has lost another iconic figure with the passing of director Chandra Barot , best known for helming the 1978 cult classic Don starring Amitabh Bachchan . The veteran filmmaker died at the age of 86 in Mumbai on Sunday after a prolonged battle with pulmonary fibrosis. As tributes pour in, megastar Amitabh Bachchan expressed his deep grief in a heartfelt blog post, remembering Barot not just as a director but as a dear family friend. Amitabh is in grief On Sunday, Chandra Barot passed away at a Bandra hospital. The Times of India was informed of his passing by his wife, Deepa Barot. He had spent the previous seven years fighting pulmonary fibrosis, she said. At Guru Nanak Hospital, the filmmaker was receiving care from physician Manish Shetty. He was previously admitted to Jaslok Hospital as well. In a tribute to the late director, Big B wrote on his blog that he was more like a family friend to him. The veteran actor started his post with the words, "Another and another sad moment." "Dear dear friend and my director of DON, Chandra Barot, passed away this morning," Amitabh went on. It is difficult to put into words the loss... We worked together, yes, but he was more a family friend than any else .. I can only pray (folded hand emoji).' During Roti Kapda Aur Makaan's filming, Chandra, Manoj Kumar's longtime assistant director, grew close to Amitabh and Zeenat. After that, they worked with him on Don, and Amitabh still cherishes the memories of their time together. Added details about Don On May 12, 1978, the movie Don was released, starring Amitabh Bachchan in two roles: that of a lookalike villager and a mafia don. Due to its memorable dialogue, intense action scenes, and catchy music, it became a huge hit and set its status as a cult classic. It tells the tale of a wanted criminal who died from his wounds sustained during a police chase. When Vijay, a Don lookalike, takes his place and attempts to learn more about his illegal activities, things take a different turn. Salim Khan-Javed Akhtar wrote the action thriller, and Nariman Irani produced it. Film fans are still fascinated with the movie, and Farhan Akhtar's reimagined Don franchise has brought the classic a new and modern spin. Ranveer Singh is now getting ready to take over after Shah Rukh Khan led the two sections.
