When Amitabh Bachchan Revealed That No Distributor Was Willing To Accept Chandra Barot's Don: "They All Thought..."
Veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot died on Sunday, July 20. He was 86. His wife, Deepa Barot, confirmed the news and told TOI, 'He had been battling pulmonary fibrosis for the past seven years.'
Did you know that when Chandra Barot's 1978 cult classic film, Don, was released, many distributors were not too happy with the film's title? Not only that, several people even confused the title with the name of an undergarment brand.
In fact, in a 2020 blog post, Amitabh Bachchan shared a funny anecdote about it. He wrote, "When Chandra and Salim-Javed announced the name of the film as Don, no distributor was willing to accept the title. They all thought it to be named after the Dawn underwear, a popular brand during those times. The film 'Godfather' was just making a mark in film circles. The word Don was unknown till then,' as quoted by Business Standard.
Don features Amitabh Bachchan in dual roles – Don and Vijay – alongside Zeenat Aman as Roma, Pran as Jasjit, Iftekhar as DSP D'Silva and Om Shivpuri as Vardhaan. The cast also includes Satyen Kappu, P. Jairaj, Kamal Kapoor, Arpana Choudhary and Helen.
The film follows the story of a wanted criminal named Don. During a chase, Don dies, but only one police officer knows the truth. To catch the rest of Don's gang, the officer recruits a simple man named Vijay who happens to look exactly like Don.
Before turning director, Chandra Barot worked as an assistant director on films like Purab Aur Pachhim, Yaadgaar, Shor and Roti Kapada Aur Makaan. Apart from Don, he directed projects like Aashrita, Pyar Bhara Dil, Hong Kong Wali Script and Neil Ko Pakadna... Impossible.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Amitabh Bachchan was replaced by Vinod Khanna in Shaque after 16 flops, reveals director Aruna Raje: ‘The producer just didn't want him'
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan had his share of struggles in the Hindi film industry before becoming one of the biggest actors in Indian cinema. The actor delivered 16 consecutive flops before writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar (Salim-Javed) saved his career by offering him Zanjeer in 1973. During his flop streak, Big B was replaced in several films. In a recent interaction, renowned director-editor Aruna Raje Patil shared one such incident when Amitabh was replaced by Vinod Khanna in the 1976 film Shaque. Recalling the incident, Aruna shared that the producer was adamant about not casting Big B in the film due to his poor box office record at the time. She said during an appearance on the YouTube channel Bollywood Crypt, 'Our first casting was Amitabh Bachchan and Waheeda Rehman. (Around that time) Amitabh's films flopped and the producer NB Kamat just didn't want him. He told us, 'The film won't happen'. So we said, 'All right, who else then?' He asked us to look for another actor, and a known one. So, we thought of Vinod Khanna and Kamat got a meeting with him for us and he agreed to do the film straight off.' In an old interview with The Filmy Charcha, veteran actor Raza Murad had also shared a similar incident when Amitabh Bachchan was ousted from the film Duniya Ka Mela due to his string of flops. He said, 'Amitabh Bachchan was thrown out of Duniya Ka Mela. The makers replaced him with Sanjay Khan. 16 of his films had flopped. Distributors said, 'nobody will turn up to theatres if he stars in a film'. At that time, his luck was not with him. But when the luck was in his favour, everything fell in place.' It was indeed luck that led Amitabh to bag Zanjeer, as all the other superstars of that time had refused to star in the film. Raza recalled the same and said, 'When director Prakash Mehra wanted to make Zanjeer, he went to Dilip Kumar, Dharmendra, Dev Anand, Rajkumar, and they all refused for some or the other reason. The subject was extremely hero-oriented, yet these superstars rejected it. Nobody knows why, but one can say that the luck wanted Amitabh Bachchan to lead the film. When nobody wanted him, and Prakash Mehra had no option, Jaya Bachchan (then Jaya Bhaduri) recommended that the director take Amitabh Bachchan, and the rest is history.' After Zanjeer, Amitabh went on to deliver many iconic films with Salim-Javed, including Deewaar, Sholay, Kaala Patthar, Trishul, Majboor, Shakti, and Don, cementing his place as the leading star of Indian cinema.
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Farhan Akhtar's Latest Throwback Pic From Childhood Days Goes Viral, Fans React
Last Updated: Farhan Akhtar is currently working on the third film in the franchise, with Ranveer Singh and Kriti Sanon as the new leads. Farhan Akhtar took a nostalgic trip down memory lane as he shared a priceless throwback photo from his childhood on social media. The picture, which has since gone viral, gives fans a rare glimpse of the multi-talented star during his early years. Taking to his Instagram handle, Farhan Akhtar shared a photo from his childhood album. He is sitting on the chair and listening to the conversation. 'Always had big shoes to fill #bachpan #80s #bandraboy #foundaphoto," read the caption. One of the fans wrote, 'Wow what a wonderful memory this!!!! Thanks for this share." Another wrote, 'legend". Recently, Farhan Akhtar took to Instagram and shared a picture of Chandra Barot along with a sweet note. While sharing the picture, Farhan wrote, 'Saddened to learn that the director of the OG Don is no more. RIP Chandra Barot-ji. Deepest condolences to the family." Farhan Akhtar, who had revived the famous Don franchise in 2006 with Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles, is currently working on the third film in the franchise, with Ranveer Singh and Kriti Sanon as the new leads. Kiara Advani, who was initially set to play the female lead opposite Ranveer Singh, stepped away from the project after welcoming her first child, a daughter with Sidharth Malhotra, making space for Kriti Sanon to step in. Meanwhile, rumour mills are abuzz about new potential villain candidates. Vikrant Massey has officially exited the film, leaving room for a new face. Actor and Bigg Boss 18 winner Karan Veer Mehra has now emerged as a leading contender for the antagonist role. Reports suggest that although nothing is signed yet, filmmakers are impressed with Karan's recent performances and screen presence, especially after his gritty role in Silaa. 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. Apart from this, Farhan Akhtar's 120 Bahadur is slated for a grand release this November. It has already created a wave of excitement among fans. Adding to the buzz, sources suggest that Excel Entertainment is gearing up to unveil the teaser of 120 Bahadur in August. The teaser of 120 Bahadur is set to hit the big screens on August 14, 2025, coinciding with the Independence Day weekend. It will be attached to the release of the action-packed spectacle, War 2. First Published: July 27, 2025, 18:08 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
8 hours ago
- News18
Moradabad YouTuber Arrested For Dressing As Sadhu, Using Objectionable Language In Video
Last Updated: The YouTuber was arrested Saturday for 'spreading objectionable content and hurting religious sentiments.' A 25-year-old YouTuber from Moradabad has been arrested after he uploaded a video for allegedly mocking Hindu saints and sages with abusive language. Identified as Mohammad Amir, the man was later released on bail after he appeared in a court. According to an official, he was arrested after he uploaded a video dressed as a priest and used objectionable language. 'In his latest upload, he dressed as a sadhu and used objectionable and vulgar language, leading to significant criticism from the local populace," Superintendent of Police (City) Ran Vijay Singh said. He was arrested Saturday for 'spreading objectionable content and hurting religious sentiments," he added. An FIR was filed against the YouTuber under BNS sections 197-1 (imputations prejudicial to national integration), 353-2 (public mischief), 352 ( breach of peace), and relevant provisions of the IT Act. 'My videos are meant purely for entertainment, and I don't want to hurt anyone's religious sentiments. If I have hurt anyone with my videos, I apologise. From now on, I won't upload such content again and will only post entertaining videos," he was quoted as saying by Times Of India. According to the report by TOI, the officials have also recovered other similar 'objectionable' videos from him. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
