Review of Don 2 (2011) by Amit C — 26 Dec 2011

Having heard that this was quite a disaster, I thought I'd have to see it with my own eyes to believe it, and so I ventured to the theatre. The omens were bad even before the movie started:

1) No recliner seats.

2) Popcorn wasn't hot.

3) Kids (3-4yr olds) in the row behind me.

4) Aforementioned kids running along the row and almost screaming into my ears.

5) I had to move to the cheaper seats in the interval before I attacked one of the kids, and these seats had a strange smell a lot like 3 day old urine..................don't ask!!!!!

If I thought that was bad, I had no idea what lay in store for me.

I will not waste your precious time trying to outline the story/plot of this movie, maybe because there doesn't seem to really be one in the first place. The hackneyed storyline is largely borrowed from Mission Impossible and Oceans Eleven, saving Akhtar the headache of having to come up with a script.

The entire flow of the movie is very clunky and things don't seem to progress smoothly from one scene to the next, and the music doesn't impress you much either, which is a real disappointment cos S_E_L usually deliver the goods.

The acting is as average as it can be. Shahrukh Khan does what he always does......menacing looks, blowing smoke, hairstyle of a fakir baba........all very unconvincing and not in character of an evil character who is wanted by the police in all the countries in the world (a promotion from the first part where he was wanted in only 11 countries).

Priyanka Chopra and Om Puri have little else to do other than look surprised, alarmed, troubled, lovestruck (only Priyanka Chopra!) and frustrated as they never quite seem to match the tactics and pace of Don.

Boman Irani is average, but thats saying a lot given the state of affairs in this movie. Lara Dutta has to look glam, and she does that well.

So, here's the thing. Why O Why did Farhan Akhtar have to make this movie? I suspect that in the elation of the previous one being a hit, a sequel, in true Hindi movie fashion, was announced. The first one worked as it was almost a copy of the super duper hit original Don and you were able to empathise, a bit, with the characters. However, in this version, you feel nothing for any of them, other than a deep sense of "get it over with". It is most unfortunate that this debacle actually comes from the son of the legendary Javed Akhtar (of Salim-Javed, who did the story, screenplay and dialogues of the original Don in 1978). Is this the beginning of the end of Farhan Akhtar as a director?

I strongly suggest that you avoid this one, though I am very sure that you WILL ignore my advice and chance it yourself, only to come to a very startlingly frightening conclusion.......RA.One was a better movie!!!!!

You have been warned!!!!!