Story: After ditching the cops five years ago by becoming an indisputable don of Asian underworld, the story of Don (Shah Rukh Khan) goes ahead, initially by surrendering to cops Malik (Om Puri) and Roma (Priyanka Chopra) in Malaysia, with a certain motive. His aim is steal the money making plates from a bank whose source can only be traced through safety deposit box in Switzerland, preserved by Singhania (Rajesh Khattar) who was killed in the prequel Don. The only man who can take him to the deposit box now, is Vardhan (Boman Irani) who is in the Malaysian jail. As soon as he sets himself and Vardhan free, he is on the mission to conquer European underworld with an aim to fetch the plates from the bank. Now, how will Don accomplish his task with the help of Sameer Ali (Kunal Kapoor), Jabbar (Nawab Shah) and his sweetheart Lara (Lara Dutta) is the rest of the story.
Story Treatment: Shah Rukh Khan compels one to leave the bitter memories of Ra. One behind and experience an exhilarating ride with Don 2. Hollywood style crisp action sequences and different avatars of SRK, prisoner and eventually ultra-classy Don keep the spectator busy. The story picks up pace in the post interval portions with tremendous suspense value related to Kunal Kapoor. The vulnerable love sequence between SRK and Priyanka also commands for appreciation in terms how it brings the necessary twist in the story which can be called the forte of Farhan Akhtar as a story-writer.
Star Cast: The unmatchable charisma of Shah Rukh Khan with ultra-stylish dialogue delivery makes Don 2, worth a watch for one and all. Priyanka Chopra is at her best towards the climax switching lanes between helpless lover and revengeful cop. Lara Dutta plays her part well in the special appearance. Boman Irani is at ease with his character and plays it with no room for flaws. Kunal Kapoor gives a fine performance as an integral part. Alyy Khan as Vice-President of the bank looks classy and does justice to his role. Nawab Khan too is good.
Direction: Farhan Akhtar yet again shows his brilliance as a director. Barring few loopholes which can be neglected like Vardhan (Boman) despite in the hitlist of police gets an easy entry into the bank is highly indigestible, Don 2 impresses at various stages. The theft sequence is amazing shot with no room for technical goof-ups especially the way SRK escapes the inside chamber with plates in his bag.
Music/ Cinematography/ Dialogues/Editing: Music has less role to play in Don 2 with just title song in the film and promotional one in the climax. Cinematography is mind-boggling matching up to the standards of Hollywood. Ditto for editing which complements the camera moves and further strengthens the narration. Dialogues as mentioned earlier are classy and impactful.
3 Ups and 3 Downs: Shah Rukh Khan, direction, cinematography, dialogues and editing are the strong points. Lack of songs subtracting down the Bollywood masala element from the film which was prevalent in Don, sluggish screenplay in first half are the weak points.
On the whole, Don 2 is a perfect combination of style with substance. Definitely a one-time watch for one and all and treat for SRK fans.
Critic Rating:Don 2, for all intents and purposes is an important film for Shah Rukh Khan especially after the flak he received for Ra.One and all its overkill and hype. The first Don, released in 2006 was a remake of an Amitabh Bachchan classic of the same name with a slight twist at the end, and its sequel moves the story forward.
Don 2 takes place approximately five years after the first one with the ruthless Don (Khan) still at large and on every wanted list across the globe. Inexplicably, he surrenders himself to Interpol officers Roma (Priyanka Chopra), Malik (Om Puri) and the authorities in Kuala Lumpur in the hope of gaining immunity from criminal prosecution in exchange for information on all his contacts and illegal activity.
Once inside prison, he befriends his archenemy Vardhaan (Boman Irani) and escapes with him to carry out a cunning plan that will bring Europe to it's knees and obviously earn him wades of cash in the process. He enlists the help of his loyal moll (Lara Dutta) and an ex-hacker (Kunal Kapoor) to bring his ambitious plan to fruition. The rest of the plot deals with the obstacles he faces with Roma, Malik and the European authorities hot on his heels.
Don 2 is a genre that has rarely been successfully implemented in Bollywood. It's slick, explosive and finely crafted with action sequences hardly ever seen before on the Indian screen. Sure it is along the lines of The Bourne Identity and Mission Impossible series in some respects. but in its entirety it's a completely original product. Technically, the film is awesome with a special mention to Jason West for his outstanding cinematography.
Farhan Akhtar, who returns to direction after nearly five years displays a solid grasp of the subject at hand never once digressing from the unfolding plot with unnecessary toilet humour or unwanted songs (in fact there's just one song in the whole film which is entirely situational!).
All the characters are strong and believable and the best part is none of the protagonists or antagonists are entirely black or white. They're all grey, which make them relatable on some level. What's more the film ties in well with the first part (and I'd definitely recommend you watch it first as there are quite a few references to it), making it a proper sequel, and not really a standalone film like say Dhoom 2 or Murder 2. And, it's one of those rare sequels that's better than its predecessor in almost every respect.
The action sequences are mind blowing and don't come across as fake or forced into the plot β and thankfully we're spared ridiculous situations where the hero's shirt rips open and he goes on a killing rampage. The 3D compliments the film too and is impressively done for an Indian film.
Shah Rukh Khan is in fine form as the wily Don and makes a fabulous villain. His wit and one-liners are deliciously wicked and he makes a dark character extremely likeable with his convincing portrayal. Priyanka Chopra is good in whatever little she has to do and kicks some serious butt in the climax, but she should have been given more footage given her equation with the lead character. Her relationship and flirtatious interactions with Don though, are interesting and her chemistry with Shah Rukh is quite electric. Boman Irani is a class apart and stands tall as Vardhaan β in fact it'd be safe to say that the film rests entirely on his and Shah Rukh's shoulders. Om Puri is adequate as Malik and Lara Dutta and Kunal Kapoor are just about okay. Saahil Shroff is handsome but his act isn't really anything to write home about. By now, the cat's already out of the bag, and yes, Hrithik Roshan does indeed have a cameo in the film. He is dapper and dashing as usual, but his appearance isn't entirely justified and nor is he properly utilized, which is about the only minor hitch with Don 2. His character doesn't really interrupt the flow of the plot in any way though so that's a bonus.
All in all Don 2 is a smashing finale to an already interesting line up of films released this year. It's a slickly edited, edge of the seat, cool, sassy and well made product with a gripping plot to boot. Here's hoping they decide to make a third installment as there's definitely potential to explore more of Don's wicked antics, watch him outwit the good guys again and recite his by now (in)famous line 'Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahiβ¦'
Positive reviews, can't wait to watch this film. Haven't been this excited for a film in a while.
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