Chandra Barot, ‘director of the OG Don’, dies at 86
Barot had reportedly been battling pulmonary fibrosis along with other age-related health problems
Chandra Barot, director of the original Don, is no more.
The veteran filmmaker, who directed the 1978 cult classic starring Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, and Pran, among others, died after prolonged illness on Sunday (July 20). He was 86.
Barot had reportedly been battling pulmonary fibrosis along with other age-related health problems.
Farhan Akhtar, who remade Don (2006) after nearly three decades and followed up with a sequel in 2011, was among those who paid tribute.
Akhtar’s post read, “Saddened to learn that the director of the OG Don is no more. RIP Chandra Barot-ji. Deepest condolences to the family.”
Kunal Kohli shared a post on Instagram as well as X, sharing his experience of working with the late filmmaker.
“Chandra ji RIP sir. The only director I assisted. Not in Don. For a film with Vinod Khanna called Boss that never saw the light of day. But what am enriching experience working with him. Heard so many BTS stories of Don… Remarkably sharp man. Lovely person. Has very enlightening and fun chats with him,” he posted on X, adding that Don remained Indian cinema’s “most stylish film to date”.
Sadly, Barot never saw success in Bollywood as a director again. Before donning the director's hat in Don, he assisted actor-director Manoj Kumar in Purab Aur Pachhim and Roti, Kapada Aur Makaan. Incidentally, the only success he tasted after Don was with a Bengali film he directed in 1989, Aashrita, which grossed Rs 3 crore.