I’ll write Don 2 on a clean slate

By: Subhash K JhaI’ll write Don 2 on a clean slate
By: Subhash K Jha
August 1, 2007
Farhan Akhtar says he will pen the script to the sequel himself

Naya Daur: Shah Rukh Khan and Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar is excited about the sequel to Don, starring Shah Rukh Khan. While the first film was written by his father, Javed Akhtar in collaboration with Salim Khan, he will write the sequel himself.

Here, the young director talks about Don 2, clears the air about the spoof on Don in Partner and why only Shah Rukh Khan has been finalised for the sequel.

What do you think of Rajpal Yadav spoofing Don in Partner?
I’ve no issues with that. The more people do to keep both the Dons alive — Mr Bachchan’s and mine — the happier I am.

We hear there’s a sequel to your film?
Yes, there’s something I’m working on with Shah Rukh. Let’s see when it materialises. I’m very fascinated by Don’s character. I want to see where he goes in the sequel.

If I can carry him forward and make him more powerful than he was in the first film, then I’ll go ahead and make it. He’s an interesting, flamboyant, larger-than-life character who thinks he can get away with anything.

Will it have Shah Rukh and Priyanka?
Only Shah Rukh is a given in the cast at this point.

Will Mallika be in it?
No.

Are you writing Don 2?
Yes, this time the writing will be mine. I didn’t want to divert too far from the original in Don, but with Don 2, I’ll write on a clean slate with no rules to follow. The journey from a remake to a sequel should be interesting.

You seem more charged than ever!
There’s more emphasis being placed on writing. There are a lot of talented young writers and I get a lot of exciting scripts to read.

We’ve always said we want to bring new writing and directorial talent in our production house (Excel Entertainment). There’s been a sea change in the kind of script that are coming to us from the time we started out six years ago.

Did you remake Don because there was a shortage of writing talent?
No. The script I’m going to direct with Irrfan Khan (Voice From The Sky) was something I wrote immediately after Dil Chahta Hai. At that time, I didn’t feel it was the right time to make it.

Since I have to direct children in the film, I had to be mentally prepared for the challenge. Now is the right time to make Voice From The Sky as the market has changed.

If I had made it right after Dil Chahta Hai, it wouldn’t have found the right outlets. There were no multiplexes back then.