Don 2: The King Is Back | |
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Directed by | Farhan Akhtar |
Screenplay by | Ameet Mehta |
Story by |
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Dialogues by | Farhan Akhtar |
Based on | Characters by Salim–Javed |
Produced by | Farhan Akhtar Ritesh Sidhwani Shah Rukh Khan |
Starring | Shah Rukh Khan Priyanka Chopra Boman Irani Kunal Kapoor Ally Khan Nawwab Shah Sahil Shroff Om Puri Lara Dutta |
Cinematography | Jason West |
Edited by | Anand Subaya |
Music by | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Reliance Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 148 minutes [1] |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Budget | ₹76 crore [2] |
Box office | est.₹202.81 crore [2] |
Don 2: The King Is Back is a 2011 Indian Hindi language action thriller film written, co-produced and directed by Farhan Akhtar. It is the second installment in the Don reboot series . Jointly produced by Excel Entertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment, the film stars Shah Rukh Khan as the titular anti-hero, with Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Lara Dutta, Om Puri, Nawwab Shah, Ally Khan, Sahil Shroff and Kunal Kapoor playing supporting roles. A sequel to Don (2006), the film's story takes place 5 years after the previous film when Don (Khan), a powerful international drug lord, plans to steal currency printing plates from a bank in Berlin to take over the counterfeiting business in Europe, while Roma (Chopra) has joined Interpol to hunt him down.
The soundtrack of the film was composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, while Javed Akhtar penned the lyrics. Jason West served as the film's cinematographer and Anand Subaya was its editor. After the success of the first film, Akhtar had planned a sequel in 2010 which did not work out. It was then officially announced in early 2010, with filming scheduled to begin later that year. Principal photography took place in Berlin, where it was shot extensively.
Don 2 was released on 23 December 2011 in 2D and 3D formats, which also included dubbed versions in Telugu and Tamil languages. The film received positive reviews from critics, receiving praise for its story, cinematography, production design, soundtrack, background score, action sequences and performances of the cast. With a box office gross of over ₹202.81 crore (US$24 million), Don 2 was a global box office blockbuster. At the time of its release, the film was the 3rd highest-grossing Hindi film of 2011.
Don 2 received a number of accolades across various ceremonies in India. At the 57th Filmfare Awards, Don 2 received 5 nominations in award categories including Best Film, Best Director (Farhan) and Best Actor (Khan), and won 2 awards – Best Action and Best Sound Design.
Five years after the events of Don, the European drug cartel bosses meet to discuss murdering Don, as he is jeopardizing their business by undercutting their prices. Living in Thailand for the last five years, Don goes to a remote settlement to pick up a shipment of cocaine. He gets cornered by his own associates, who reveal that they were offered a deal by the Europeans to have their cocaine from Asia open for sale in Europe. Don makes his way out by killing all his men and destroying the entire settlement. He returns to Malaysia, where he surrenders to Detective Malik and Roma, who have joined Interpol. He is sentenced to death and sent to prison, where he meets his old rival Vardhaan.
Vardhaan tries to exact revenge on Don for having him imprisoned but agrees to work together with him when Don offers him an opportunity to escape. Don and Vardhaan eventually break out by poisoning the other inmates. In Zurich, Don meets trusted companion Ayesha, and they retrieve a tape from a secret locker whose key was under Vardhaan's possession. It shows J. K. Diwan, vice president of the Euro-printing DZB (Deutsche Zentral Bank) bribing Singhania to kill James Werden, the original choice for the bank’s president, so that Diwan's superior, Fabian Kohl, would get the post. Singhania was killed by Vardhaan five years earlier. Don blackmails Diwan into giving him the bank's blueprints so he can steal the printing plates. Diwan gives him fake blueprints and hires Abdul Jabbar, a deadly assassin.
Don escapes and bribes Jabbar to work for him instead. With no other choice, Diwan gives him the original blueprints. Roma and Malik arrive in Berlin and unsuccessfully interrogate Diwan while Don and his team execute a bank robbery. After stealing the printing plates, Don is betrayed by Vardhaan and Jabbar but, having anticipated this, escapes. Another team member named Sameer, whom Don met earlier to discuss his antics, calls the police on Don, who ends up being arrested. However, Don blackmails Diwan into giving him German immunity in exchange for erasing the evidence of him being involved in the murder of James Warden. He negotiates with the Berlin Police and Interpol over surrendering the plates and a disc containing details of the European underworld in exchange for the safety of the hostages and defusing the bombs in the bank.
Don and Roma reach Vardhaan after bloody combat with his thugs and find themselves in a standoff. Though ordered by Vardhaan and Jabbar - and Don himself - Roma is unable to kill Don and is shot by Jabbar in response; she still has feelings for him, though he killed her brother and his fiancée five years earlier, and also does not want to do it illegally. Despite the setback, Don subdues Vardhaan and kills Jabbar. Following Vardhaan's arrest, Don obtains his immunity papers and surrenders the plates and the disc as agreed, while also getting Roma to an ambulance. Later, Don detonates a bomb planted in Diwan's car, killing Diwan and seemingly destroying the plates he had taken.
In a final scene, it is revealed that Don still has the real currency plates, as the ones that were destroyed in the car explosion were fake. It also turns out that Sameer was actually loyal to Don; informing the police was part of Don's plan, and that the disc actually contains the names of the European cartel bosses who conspired to murder Don. As a result, Kohl and the European cartel bosses end up being arrested and sent to prison alongside Vardhaan. Having succeeded in taking down Vardhaan and the European bosses, Don becomes king of the European underworld with Sameer and Ayesha by his side.
A sequel was announced in 2007, a year after the release of Don (2006) by Farhan Akhtar. [3] However, the film got delayed due to Shah Rukh Khan's shoulder surgery. [4] The original cast reprised their roles except for Arjun Rampal and Ishaa Koppikar; [5] Lara Dutta and Kunal Kapoor were cast in new roles. [6] Akhtar said that he decided to make a sequel to his 2006 film because it "gave him a lot of freedom to explore the character". [7] Khan copyrighted a tattoo of "D" on his arm and grew his hair long for the film. [8] [9]
Khan exercised extensively for the role and performed almost all the stunts by himself. Don 2 marked Khan's return to playing villains after earlier films such as Darr and Baazigar . [10] Chopra learned martial arts and trained for over two months. [11] Boman Irani lost 12 kg for the role and grew a beard to make his character look "cold, cunning and deceitful"; he felt that playing a villain was "a big stretch" for him as an actor. [12] Dutta was cast after Koppikar, who played the role in Don, dropped out of the film. She was recommended to Akhtar by Khan, who had worked with her on Billu in 2009. However, her role was changed after her casting, and turned out to be a different character than Koppikar's. In an interview with The Hindustan Times , Dutta said that it was exciting to play a new character, since there would be no predecessor to live up to. [13]
The principal photography of Don 2 began in October 2010 in Berlin, becoming the first Hindi film to be shot there. The decision to shoot in the city was made after Khan attended the Berlin International Film Festival for its screening of My Name is Khan and realised that the city provided the required realistic backdrop for the film. [14] [15] [16] Before shooting began the German government announced the film on its website, promising support and co-operation during filming. [15] A 70-member Indian crew travelled to the city for two weeks of preparation for shooting. Scenes were filmed at the Brandenburg Gate, the Alexanderplatz, the French Cathedral and the East Side Gallery. [17] The German government provided €3 million in incentives to the film's producers, since it was shot in Berlin. The shoot cost €6.8 million. [16]
Khan experimented with several looks and performed his own stunts in the film. [18] [19] In Berlin, he performed a 300-foot jump for a scene. [20] A car-chase scene using 67 cars closed main thoroughfares (including the Brandenburg Gate) for three weeks. Each day, alternate routes were provided around roads cordoned off for filming. [21] The shooting schedule also included a special appearance by Hrithik Roshan, whose presence was kept under wraps by filmmakers. [22] In December 2010, the Berlin schedule ended. [23] [24] In February 2011, the actors flew to Malaysia, where several scenes were shot in Malacca Prison with prisoners as extras. A section of the prison block was made available for filming, with special T-shirts distinguishing crew members from prisoners in the high-security zone. [25] Khan trained with Hollywood stunt and fight director Wolfgang Stegemann, who also played Karl in the film. [26]
In September 2011, filming resumed on a song featuring the two leads. [27] Another song was shot with Khan in Goa in late November, only a month before the film's release. [28] The song was shot as an action sequence, but did not appear in the film. [29] In August 2011, the producers said they will release Don 2 in 3D. The idea of 3D conversion occurred to Akhtar while shooting; after tests in Los Angeles, it was decided to convert the entire film. [30] The director of photography had used special lenses, which made conversion easier. Sidhwani said that the idea of converting the film into 3D came to him after seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 . Chuck Comisky, a veteran S-3D innovator who supervised 3D stereo and visual effects for Avatar and Sanctum , was given the job. [31] Anand Subaya was the editor and Jason West served as the director of photography. [32] The digital intermediate and VFX of Don 2 were by Pixion Studios, and the 3D conversion by Reliance Mediaworks. [33]
The soundtrack was composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar. The album contains nine compositions: four original songs, two instrumentals, a dialogue snippet, and two remix out of four original songs. The vocals were performed by Vishal Dadlani, Anusha Mani, Usha Uthup, Shankar Mahadevan, Sunitha Sarathy, KK and Caralisa Monteiro. It was released on 16 November 2011 by T-Series. [34]
The distributors, Reliance Entertainment, bought the rights to Don 2 from Excel Entertainment for ₹850 million (US$10 million) and spent another ₹220 million (US$2.6 million) on prints and marketing. [35] Zee Entertainment Enterprises acquired the satellite rights for ₹370 million (US$4.4 million). [35] Distribution rights in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were bought by Sudha Screen's Sreeraj for an undisclosed price. [36] Don 2 music rights were sold to T-Series for ₹100 million (US$1.2 million). The theatrical trailer and poster for Don 2 were released with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara . A second trailer was released online on 24 October 2011. [37] The film previewed at the Dubai International Film Festival. [38] The producers collaborated with McDonald's and Café Coffee Day in 20 cities to provide free Internet access with Wi-Fi in their stores so that viewers could watch songs in 3D on their computers. [39]
The producers decided to publicize the dialogue from Don 2 by releasing 10 lines delivered by Don as "Don Says...": one line each Friday from 15 October until the film's release on 23 December. The lines were released simultaneously across all media platforms: television, print, radio, Internet and mobile. [40] [41] The filmmakers also released a limited-edition toy version. The toy, Shahrukh Khan dressed as Don, is the first bobblehead of a Bollywood star. [42] The cast, director and producers embarked on a multi-city tour across India (including Patna) to promote the film. [43] Interrupted by security problems, the tour resumed from Nagpur to Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and other cities. [44]
In October 2011 a comic book based on Don 2, Don: The Origin, was published that was about Don's past. [31] Excel Entertainment collaborated with India's largest video-game company, Gameshastra, on a console game. The firm developed a third-person action-adventure console game in which the player performs actions similar to Don's in the film. [45] A social game, Don – The Social Mobsters Game (developed by Mango Games), was launched on Facebook. It is available on Android and PSN for PlayStation 3 platforms. Sidhwani said, "This is the first time a game is based on an Indian film that will be launched on four platforms. For an iconic character like Don, I think this was the best way to keep the hysteria going amongst his fans." [45] A PlayStation 2 game, Don 2: The King is Back , was released in India in February 2013 to tie in with the film, also serving as the final PAL game for the console. [46] Mobile video games were also Fugu Mobile and included Don 2: The Pursuit (a racing game) and Don 2: Prison Break and Don 2: Eliminate Vardhan. [47]
Don 2 was released worldwide 23 December 2011 on 3,105 screens in the domestic market, including 500 prints in 3D, and on 650 screens in 40 countries. [48] [49] The dubbed versions in Telugu and Tamil were released with the Hindi version. [50] The second phase of the film's international release began in January 2012 in 84 countries. [51] From 9 February 2012 to 19 February 2012, Don 2 was screened at the World Premiere Cinema theatre during the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. [52] [53] Reliance Entertainment obtained a "John Doe" order from the Delhi High Court allowing it to serve cease-and-desist notices on film pirates. [54]
A month before Don 2's release, Nariman Films, producers of Don, sent a legal notice to Reliance and Excel Entertainment about the sequel. According to the notice, Nariman had given the rights to Excel Entertainment in perpetuity for Don alone. [55] On 19 December, a week before Don 2's release, the Bombay High Court refused to stay the film's release; the court's ruling considered the film's scheduled release on 21 December overseas and 23 December in India, for which many theaters had been booked. [56]
The smoking scenes in the film came with a disclaimer per Health Ministry's advice to the producers. [57] The DVD was released on 7 February 2012 with two different versions, Blu-ray and a special feature releasing on 10 April and 24 May. [58]
Don 2 received positive reviews from critics, receiving praise for its story, cinematography, production design, soundtrack, background score, action sequences and performances of the cast.. [59]
As of June 2020 [update] , the film holds a 69% approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes , based on 13 reviews, with an average rating of 6.68 out of 10. [60] Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India rated the film 4 stars out of 5 and called it "a classic action/crime thriller that doesn't let go, even for a moment. More importantly, the plot has been finely crafted, with every twist and turn falling into place like a complicated albeit neat little jigsaw." [61] Rachit Gupta of Filmfare also rated the film 4 stars out of 5, and praised the performances by Khan, Chopra and Irani, remarking "They carry the film through its flat moments. It's not very taut, but Don 2 serves up enough thrills in the finale and that alone makes it worth a watch." [62] Priya Joshi of Digital Spy gave the film 4 out of 5, praising its dramatic conclusion which she thought was brilliantly executed, and wrote that it "is a thoroughly exhilarating action-fest, fashioned in a Bollywood-style – and a shot of adrenaline amidst the usual elf-inspired festive film fare." [63]
A review carried by The Express Tribune called the film "a visual masterpiece", adding that "it sets a very high benchmark for future Indian action films." [64] Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the film 3.5 out of 5, feeling that the second half took the film to another level, and wrote "Akhtar chooses an entirely new concept, garnishes it with classic action, stunning visuals, giving it an international look and feel". [65] Aniruddha Guha of Daily News and Analysis gave 3 out of 5 complimenting Khan's performance and action sequences, which he thought made the film work. [66] Mid-Day gave it 2.5 out of 5, praising Khan's performance and wrote "The film is slick, the cinematography is captivating but the racy, edge of the seat pace that you expect from an action thriller of this kind is sorely missing." [67]
Raja Sen of Rediff.com termed the film as "a glossy, unashamed action offering polished within an inch of itself, visually coming together seamlessly and effectively." [68] Sen also added that "although the film has been impressively produced, it has been let down by the over-the-top acting by Khan, while other actors were underused and were given nothing much to do." [68] Rajeev Masand gave the film 2 out of 5 stars, calling it "spectacularly boring", and wrote "Don 2 is nicely shot, and there are moments where Khan is riveting. But that's not enough to hold your interest for well over two hours…even the actor's most loyal fans will find themselves yawning." [69] Sonia Chopra of Sify also gave 2.5 out of 5, feeling that the original film was better as compared to the sequel but praised the action sequences, writing "The car chases are superb and will have you at the edge of your seat. For the rest of the film though, you'll be slouching on that very seat, waiting for the thrills that the Don series promises." [70] Writing for Hindustan Times , Mayank Shekhar was disappointed with the film, calling it "never ending" and criticized the stretched storyline. [71] Sudhish Kamath of The Hindu said "The editor wishes his studio exploded and didn't have to put this together. But he's getting a fat cheque. He does his job to the best of his ability and is almost done when he hears that line “Don Ko Pakadna Mushkil Hi Nahin...”" [72]
Among the overseas reviewers, Lisa Tsering of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Khan's foray into bad-boy territory is all swagger with not much substance." [73] David DeWitt of The New York Times called it the "slick cousin" of " Mission: Impossible and Ocean's Eleven ". [74]
Don 2 was made with a production cost of ₹760 million (US$9.1 million) excluding SRK's acting fee with shares in profits which is ₹650 million (US$7.8 million). On its first day, Don 2 had 80-percent occupancy levels throughout India. In multiplexes its occupancy level was 75%-80% percent and 70–75 percent in single-screen theatres. [75] The film grossed ₹147 million (US$1.8 million) from its Hindi version, [76] in the process becoming the third-highest opening-day grossing Indian film (fourth-highest for the Hindi version) [77] and the highest opening-day grossing film on a non-holiday Friday. [78] The film increased its earnings by about 20–25 percent in high-end cinemas during its second and third days, aided by a sizeable increase in multiplex revenue. [79] Over the weekend, Don 2 grossed ₹470 million (US$5.6 million) from its Hindi version and another ₹15 million (US$180,000) from its Tamil and Telugu versions. [80] It held well the following week, collecting a total of ₹700 million (US$8.4 million) by the end of its first week. [81] During the film's second weekend, Don 2 grossed ₹145 million (US$1.7 million) from its Hindi version. [82] The film held well during its second week, declining 62 percent and collecting ₹270 million (US$3.2 million) from its Hindi version [83] and thus taking its two-week total to ₹970 million (US$12 million). The second-week total of Don 2 was the second-highest of 2011, after Ready . By the end of its theatrical run the Hindi version of Don 2 grossed ₹1.06 billion (US$13 million) in India and regional versions added a further ₹60 million for a grand total of ₹1.12 billion (US$13 million) including Tamil and Telugu, [84] making it the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2011.
Don 2 was released overseas in two phases, with most major markets covered in the first phase. The film set several records on its opening day. It grossed $550,000 from 164 theatres in the United States. In the United Kingdom, Don 2's revenue debuted in the top ten, earning $527,000 in three days from 76 theatres; in the Middle East, the film grossed $930,000 in two days. It broke the record for the highest single-day revenue in Australia ($62,000), grossing $136,000 in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji during the first two days of its run.[ citation needed ]
The film grossed ₹16.9 million (US$200,000) during its first week in Pakistan, breaking all previous records. [85] Don 2 grossed ₹371 million (US$4.4 million) over the weekend, and ₹504 million (US$6.0 million) during its first week. [86] [87] It set a record for the all-time biggest opening week for a Hindi film in North America, earning $2.64 million. [88] The film was the highest-grossing Bollywood film overseas in 2011. During the second phase of its release, which began in February 2012, Don 2 earned $112,027 in Germany and $5,041 in Austria. [89] It grossed $11.24 million on the overseas market and was the third highest-grossing Bollywood film overseas at that time, after My Name Is Khan and 3 Idiots . [89] [90]
Award | Date | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
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BIG Star Entertainment Awards | 2012 | Most Entertaining Actor in an Action Film – Male | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | [91] |
Most Entertaining Actor in an Action Film – Female | Priyanka Chopra | Nominated | |||
ETC Bollywood Business Awards | 2012 | Top Grosser of the Year | Don 2 | Nominated | [92] |
Most Profitable Director | Farhan Akhtar | Nominated | |||
Most Popular First Look of a Film | Don 2 | Won | |||
Filmfare Awards | 29 January 2012 | Best Film | Nominated | [93] [94] | |
Best Director | Farhan Akhtar | Nominated | |||
Best Actor | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | |||
Best Action | Matthias Barsch | Won | |||
Best Sound Design | Nakul Kamte | Won | |||
IIFA Awards | 9 June 2012 | Best Actor | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | [95] |
Best Villain | Boman Irani | Nominated | |||
Lions Gold Awards | Favourite Actor in a Leading Role – Male | Shah Rukh Khan | Won | [96] | |
Favourite Actor in a Leading Role – Female | Priyanka Chopra | Won | |||
National Media Network Film & TV Awards | Best Director | Farhan Akhtar | Won | [97] | |
Producers Guild Film Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | [98] [99] | |
Best Entertainer of the Year – Male | Won | ||||
Best Entertainer of the Year – Female | Priyanka Chopra | Won | |||
Best Sound Design | Nakul Kamte | Nominated | |||
Best Sound Mixing | Nakul Kamte, Debajit Changmai | Nominated | |||
Best Special Effects | Prasad Sutar | Nominated | |||
Screen Awards | Best Actor | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | [100] [101] [102] | |
Best Actor (Popular Choice) | Won | ||||
Best Actress (Popular Choice) | Priyanka Chopra | Nominated | |||
Jodi No. 1 | Shah Rukh Khan , Priyanka Chopra | Won | |||
Best Action | Matthias Barsch | Nominated | |||
Best Special Effects | Prasad Sutar, Viral Thakkar | Nominated | |||
Stardust Awards | Best Film | Don 2 | Nominated | [103] | |
Best Director | Farhan Akhtar | Nominated | |||
Actor of the Year – Male | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | |||
Actor of the Year – Female | Priyanka Chopra | Nominated | |||
Best Actor – Thriller/Action | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | |||
Best Actress – Thriller/Action | Priyanka Chopra | Nominated | |||
Zee Cine Awards | Best Film | Don 2 | Nominated | [104] | |
Best Director | Farhan Akhtar | Nominated | |||
Best Actor – Male | Shah Rukh Khan | Nominated | |||
Best Actor – Male (Critics) | Won |
About a sequel, Shah Rukh Khan said: "It would be great to revisit Don after some time. I’ve told Farhan that we could take 60 days out of our schedule and make a Don 3 . But we need a script first, one that could take the last 10 minutes of Don 2 forward to another differently exciting thriller." [105] Farhan Akhtar also expressed a desire to take the story forward, and said he was fascinated by the character of Don. However, the filmmaker wanted to explore other genres without restriction and added that he was currently focusing on his acting career. [106]
In August 2014, it was reported that Farhan Akhtar planned to play a role in the film. In October 2015, Akhtar said that Don 3 will go on floors by late 2016. However, the film is at the scripting stage. It has also been reported that Katrina Kaif will replace Priyanka Chopra in the next installment. [107] But the makers denied this, stating that the only constant in the third installment will be dependent on Don, the rest of the characters, and the script.
In May 2023, news articles reported that Farhan Akhtar was finishing the script for Don 3. [108] The third installment, Don 3 , was officially announced in August 2023 by Farhan Akhtar and Excel Entertainment, with Ranveer Singh succeeding Shah Rukh Khan in the role of Don.
Shahrukh Khan, also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi cinema. Referred to in the media as the "Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has appeared in more than 100 films, and earned numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards. He has been awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, as well as the Order of Arts and Letters and Legion of Honour by the Government of France. Khan has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. In terms of audience size and income, several media outlets have described him as one of the most successful film stars in the world. Many of his films thematise Indian national identity and connections with diaspora communities, or gender, racial, social and religious differences and grievances.
Main Hoon Na is a 2004 Hindi-language masala film directed by Farah Khan and produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment. The film, which marks Farah Khan's directorial debut, stars Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Suniel Shetty, Amrita Rao, and Zayed Khan, alongside Kirron Kher, Murali Sharma, Kabir Bedi, Boman Irani, and Naseeruddin Shah. In the film, Major Ram Prasad Sharma is sent on a covert mission to pose as a college student and protect the general's daughter from a dangerous rogue soldier.
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian actor, filmmaker and singer who works in Hindi films. Born to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, he established the production company Excel Entertainment, along with Ritesh Sidhwani, in 1999.
Don: The Chase Begins Again, better known simply as Don, is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Farhan Akhtar. The film was produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Akhtar's production company Excel Entertainment. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan as the titular anti-hero and Priyanka Chopra as Roma, while Arjun Rampal, Isha Koppikar, Boman Irani, Pavan Malhotra, and Om Puri appears in supporting roles. Kareena Kapoor makes a special appearance. Don is a remake of the 1978 film of the same title, and follows the titular criminal's look-alike who has been sent on a clandestine mission to impersonate Don after he is wounded in a chase, and to gather intelligence on the drug mafia.
Zoya Akhtar is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. Born to Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, she completed a diploma in filmmaking from NYU and assisted directors Mira Nair, Tony Gerber and Dev Benegal, before becoming an independent writer and director. She is the recipient of several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards. Akhtar, along with Reema Kagti, founded Tiger Baby Films, a film and web studio in October 2015.
Om Shanti Om is a 2007 Indian romantic fantasy film written and directed by Farah Khan, co-written by Mayur Puri and Mushtaq Shiekh, and produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade, Kirron Kher, and Arjun Rampal. The story follows Om Prakash Makhija (Khan), an obscure 1970s actor, who dies in a suspicious on-set fire involving his crush, well-known yesteryears superstar Shanti Priya (Padukone), and is reincarnated in the present day as superstar Om Kapoor, seeking to exact revenge on the perpretrator, Shanti's husband and powerful producer Mukesh Mehra (Rampal).
Excel Entertainment is an Indian production company, founded by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar in Mumbai in 1999. They mainly produce Hindi films.
My Name Is Khan is a 2010 drama film directed by Karan Johar and co-written by Shibani Bathija and Niranjan Iyengar. It stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the lead roles, and is a co-production between India, the United States and Hong Kong. The film narrates the fictional story in which Rizvan Khan (Khan), an autistic Muslim, sets out on a journey across the United States to meet the President after Mandira Rathod Khan (Kajol), his Hindu wife, suffers from Islamophobic discrimination following the September 11 attacks.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language road comedy drama film directed by Zoya Akhtar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under Excel Entertainment. The film stars an ensemble cast of Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif, and Kalki Koechlin. The film's story follows three childhood friends, Arjun, Kabir, and Imran, who reunite for a three-week road trip. They set off to Spain and meet Laila, who falls in love with Arjun and helps him overcome his compulsion to work. Kabir and his fiancée Natasha experience significant misunderstandings, while Imran wishes to meet his biological father, an artist.
Don is an Indian media franchise, centered on Don, a fictional Indian underworld boss. The franchise originates from the 1978 Hindi-language action thriller film Don. In 2006, a remake series began, with the release of Don: The Chase Begins Again. Its sequel was released in 2011, entitled Don 2. A second sequel Don 3 has been announced. It has also been expanded to comics and video games.
"Mitwa" (transl. Friend) is a romantic Hindi-language song from the 2006 Bollywood musical romantic drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, directed by Karan Johar. The track is composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, while the lyrics are penned by Javed Akhtar. The song was sung by Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali and Caralisa Monteiro, who also penned the phrase "love will find a way..." in the song. The music video of the song featured the film's lead actors Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherji.
Chennai Express is a 2013 Indian masala film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by UTV Motion Pictures and Red Chillies Entertainment. It stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and with Nikitin Dheer and Sathyaraj in supporting roles. The film revolves around Rahul Mithaiwala, a businessman who accidentally boards the eponymous train and journeys from Mumbai to Rameswaram with the daughter of an influential crimeboss.
Nawab Shah is an Indian actor, who works in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada-language films and television series. Before entering into films, he played character roles in television serials.
Shah Rukh Khan is an Indian actor, producer and television personality who works in Hindi films. He began his acting career by playing a soldier in the Doordarshan series Fauji (1988), a role that garnered him recognition and led to starring roles in more television shows. He soon started receiving film offers and had his first release with the romantic drama Deewana (1992), in which he played a supporting part. Khan subsequently played villainous roles in the 1993 thrillers Baazigar and Darr, box office successes that established his career in Bollywood. In 1995, Khan starred opposite Kajol in Aditya Chopra's romance Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, that became the longest running Indian film of all time. He continued to establish a reputation in romantic roles by playing opposite Madhuri Dixit in Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), and Kajol in the Karan Johar-directed Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001).
Fan is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Maneesh Sharma and co-written by Sharma and Habib Faisal. Produced by Aditya Chopra, the film stars Shah Rukh Khan in a dual role as filmstar Aryan Khanna (protagonist) and his obsessive fan Gaurav Chandna (antagonist), who looks just like him. Gaurav beats up a rival actor to appease Aryan, but is instead punished by his idol; heartbroken, the fan plans revenge. The film also has an ensemble supporting cast.
Dilwale (transl. Big-hearted) is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language rom-com action film directed by Rohit Shetty, who co-produced the film with Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment and Rohit Shetty Entertainments. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, and Kriti Sanon, alongside Pankaj Tripathi, Mukesh Tiwari, Varun Sharma, Boman Irani, Vinod Khanna, Kabir Bedi and Johnny Lever. The film marks the final appearance of Vinod Khanna, before his death on 27 April 2017.
Raees is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rahul Dholakia and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Excel Entertainment. It stars Shah Rukh Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Mahira Khan. Raees is said to be based on the criminal Abdul Latif's life, however, the filmmakers have denied this claim.
Jab Harry Met Sejal, abbreviated as JHMS, is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Imtiaz Ali. It stars Anushka Sharma and Shah Rukh Khan in their third collaboration after Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012). Pre-production of the film began in April 2015 and principal photography commenced in August 2016 in Prague, Amsterdam, Vienna, Lisbon and Budapest.
Pathaan is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. Written by Shridhar Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala on the basis of an original story by Anand, it serves as the fourth instalment in the YRF Spy Universe, and stars Shah Rukh Khan in the titular role, alongside Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, and Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana in supporting roles. The first instalment in the universe to observe a crossover among characters and officially instate the universe as a brand, it follows an exiled RAW agent, who works with ISI agent Rubina Mohsin to take down Jim, a former RAW agent, who plans to attack India with a deadly lab-generated virus.