In the run-up to the release of the 2011 film Don 2, director Farhan Akhtar decided to try something new. Rather than just have the standard trailer release and music launch, he would give the character of Don a chance to address his audience directly.
In a series of 10 short "Don Says" videos, Don (Shah Rukh Khan) shares his philosophies about his enemies, his friends, and the tricks of his trade.
And he is as arrogant as ever.
Five years had passed since audiences last saw Don, so it is understandable that he had gained confidence by proving he is a step ahead of everyone else. While enemies planned their plots to take him down, he had already turned the tables on them.
According to an October 2011 story in the Times of India, the "Don Says" videos were an opportunity to reintroduce Don to an audience who had already memorized some of his dialogues from the first film such as "Don ko pakad na mushkil hi nahi ... na mumkin hain" ("Catching Don is not just difficult ... it's impossible"). According to producer Ritesh Sidhwani:
"When Farhan was shooting for the film, he suggested we should take some'Don-isms' to the audience before the release, because of the popularity of the film's one-liners. Every kid and adult knows, "Don ko pakadna..." and those smart Alec dialogues from the first part. This time, Farhan has written some zany, witty lines that convey Don's attitude and style, that can very well become part of everyday lingo."
As Don delivers his pithy prose, you realize this is someone you probably don't want to mess with. Yet, there is something charismatic about this icon of evil and you can't turn away ... not just yet.
This brilliant marketing plan was spread out over several weeks (a new video was released each Friday) and generated buzz and enthusiasm in an audience that just couldn't get enough of Don.
Here are the 10 videos. The English translations are provided thanks to colleagues at PlanetSRK.
"Don ke dushman ko hamesha yeh baat yaad rakhni chahiye ...
ke Don kabhi kuch nahi bhulta. Boom."
"Don's enemies should always remember that Don never forgets anything. Boom."
"Don ke samne aadmi ke pass sirf do raaste hote hain ...
mann jaye ya mar jaye ... jaisi uski marzi."
"When in front of Don, a man has only two choices, agree or die ... his choice."
"Takat ek nasha hai,
aur main uss nasha banane wali factory ka ek lauta malik hoon."
and I am the only owner of that addiction/drug making factory."
Mujhe logon ka khoon karne ka koi shauq nahi ...
wohi mujhe majbur kar dete hai.
"I am not fond of killing people ... they only force me to kill them."
"Kisne kaha ke chamatkar nahi hote ... zaara mujhe kareeb se dekho."
"Who says miracles don't exist ... take a close look at me."
"Don aadmi ka naam bhool sakta hai ...
lekin yeh nahin bhulega ki usse dafnaya kaha tha."
"Don can forget names ... but he'll not forget where they were buried."
"Mujhe andhera pasand hai ...
tumhare aane wale kal ki yaad dilata hain."
"I like darkness ... it reminds me of your upcoming days."
"Don ke dushman, Don ke haaton mar ne ke liye hi paida hote hai."
"Don's enemies are born to be killed by Don."
"Don apne doston ko haal puche ya na puche ...
apne dushmano ki khabar hamesha rakhta hain."
"Don may not ask how his friends are doing ...
but he always keeps news of his enemies."
"Don ko pakad na mushkil hi nahi ... you know it."
"Catching Don is not just difficult ... you know it."
Visit some of our other Dialogues or posts about Don.