It was in August that Farhan Akhtar revealed that Shah Rukh Khan won’t be making a comeback as Don in the third part of the much-loved franchise. Soon after, the filmmaker released the teaser release of ‘Don’, starring Ranveer Singh. The announcement got a mixed reaction from fans. While some were happy with the franchise’s return with Ranveer Singh and thought it to be a fresh take, others believed Shah Rukh Khan should still play the role. This led to some criticism for Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the makers of the film.
Now, during the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Ranveer Singh was honoured for his contribution to cinema. After participating in a panel discussion in Jeddah, he talked about several topics, including his portrayal of Don in the Farhan Akhtar-directed film. Reacting to the skepticism surrounding the role in ‘Don’, which has been previously played by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer mentioned that he is aware of the challenges ahead.
Speaking to Deadline, Ranveer said, “I’m hoping to make Don my own and give it my spin, my interpretation. It is the handing over of the baton of one of the most loved and revered franchises of Hindi cinema. The significance of that is not lost on me. When the announcement was made, as expected, it came with its share of scepticism. But throughout the history of cinema, this has happened. Even as recently as perhaps when the Bond franchise changed hands and they announced Daniel Craig as the new Bond, it came with its fair share of scepticism. So, this is only natural.”
Talking about the third instalment, Ranveer further said, “Taking the baton forward in this franchise and continuing the legacy of two of our greatest superstars – the significance of that is not lost on me. So, I will give it my best shot and you will see the very best of me and I will put my best foot forward for Don undoubtedly.”
For those caught unaware, Amitabh Bachchan played the dual roles of Don and Vijay in the 1978 version ‘Don’, written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar and directed by Chandra Barot. In 2007, Farhan Akhtar helmed the new version of ‘Don’ with Shah Rukh Khan portraying the double role, and followed it up with a sequel in 2011.
