Don

If Zanjeer turned 52 yesterday, then Don celebrates its 47th anniversary today.

Though Don was released on May 12, 1978, at Ganga and New Excelsior 

its journey began much earlier. The film was conceived in December 1974, but took over three years to come to fruition. It was launched by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot, under the formidable writing duo Salim–Javed. The project was initiated to recover losses from Irani’s earlier film and brought together a team that had previously worked on Roti Kapda Aur Makaan—with Pran joining in, again the highest-paid actor on the cast, though still earning less than Salim–Javed. Nariman Irani unfortunately passed away during the making of the Film and it was completed by the actors and director Chandra Barot.

What followed was a 175-minute thrill ride, opening with a gripping sequence introducing Don, followed by a title montage in picture-negative style, backed by an electrifying background score.

From the outset, Don’s arrogance is palpable—immortalized in the now-iconic line:

“Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin, namumkin hai.”

Even after 47 years, the dialogue remains one of Hindi cinema's most unforgettable.

Don is pure escapist cinema—exactly what Bollywood did best in the '70s. With death-defying stunts, car chases through bustling cities, and suitcase bombs, it never takes itself too seriously. Amitabh Bachchan shines, portraying not just Don and Vijay, but also Vijay pretending to be Don—three distinct personas, each delivered with precision.

The film is enriched by a stellar supporting cast including Zeenat Aman, Pran, Shetty, Om Shivpuri, Kamal Kapoor, and Iftekhar.

Its soundtrack by Kalyanji–Anandji is legendary. From the joyful explosion of “Khaike Paan Banaraswala” to the tension and flair of “Main Hoon Don,” the music perfectly complements the film’s pulse. Helen dazzles in “Yeh Mera Dil,” which was notably the first sequence shot for the film.

Despite a low-key release, Don turned into a blockbuster, earning three Filmfare Awards, including Best Actor for Amitabh Bachchan—his second consecutive win after Amar Akbar Anthony. He was also nominated that year for Trishul and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar.

More than four decades later, Don continues to captivate audiences. Widely regarded as one of Amitabh’s finest performances, it retains a cult following. Fans still watch it religiously on TV reruns, quoting Salim–Javed’s timeless lines with joy.

While it was later remade with Shah Rukh Khan and even had a sequel, neither could quite recapture the magnetic aura of the original.

52 Years of The Birth of the Angry Young Man in Zanjeer

52 Years of Zanjeer 

11th May This day in 1973, Prakash Mehra’s Zanjeer was released, a film that that is indisputably a mainstream trendsetter.

It was a film that would turn Amitabh Bachchan's  fortunes, . It was a film that would usher in a new type of hero, one who, deeply troubled himself, did not think twice before dealing with issues on his own - with, or without the help of the law.

There is movielore attached to the film– which does not even seem to be 52 years old — (even though characters like the Chaku-chhuri wali (played by Jaya Bhaduri) and the Pathan (Pran) are rarely to be seen in Mumbai any more. (And the character of Mona Darling(Bindu), the moll, played by Bindu has all but vanished from Hindi films.)

As is folklore now it is known that Amitabh was never a choice for this role. Dharmendra, Dev Anand, Raj Kumar were offered this role.Every single one of them turned it down. Writers Salim-Javed, who were also to become celebrity writers after this film released, had seen Amitabh Bachchan in Bombay to Goa and had been impressed by him. They recommended him to Prakash Mehra, who, with nothing to lose, agreed to sign him on.

Jaya Bhaduri, then Amitabh's steady girlfriend and already a well-known star, who saved the day by agreeing to sign on the dotted line as heroine.

For Pran Zanjeer was a new path ( He was the highest paid of the cast ).Both Jaya and Om Prakash had small but crucial roles in the film.

Ajit, long-time secondary hero, stepped into the villain Teja's white shoes with élan. Attired in stylish suits (his own) Ajit's Teja was to bring back a dashing, dapper, suave villain onscreen.  After Zanjeer, Ajit moved on to being a major player on the villainous front.

Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay was a complete anti-hero, the first on screen. While heroes had played totally negative characters onscreen before, or ones with grey shades, never had there been a hero like Amitabh's Vijay. He did not laugh, he did not cry, he did not sing songs, he did not romance his heroine. He seethed, with an anger that was turned inward. He worked within the parameters of the law, but used its long arm as a catharsis for his own inner demons. He was a simmering ball of anger that was just waiting to explode, and explode it does in the last reel of the film.

Music by Kalyanji Anandji was apt and the songs popular. 

Any review of this film would be incomplete without mention of its script-writers Salim-Javed. 

A tight script with meaningful dialogue .They wrote a hero who reflected the times, with the same pent-up anger of the common man who did not want to wait for a messiah.

There is so much trivia on Zanjeer..but that would  need another article.

Zanjeer is not officially streaming on any platform but a print is now available on YouTube