India, May 26 -- When Don first released in 1978, the film introduced Hindi cinema to a suave and sophisticated anti-hero unlike anything audiences had seen before. More importantly, it transformed Amitabh Bachchan - who had just made a career comeback with righteous roles in films like Deewaar, Kabhi Kabhie and others - into a stylish gangster with unmatched swagger.

Years later, when Farhan Akhtar decided to remake the original in 2006, he followed a similar playbook. He cast Shah Rukh Khan, who had last truly embraced a dark anti-hero image in 1993's Darr. Despite mild resistance from Amitabh Bachchan fans, Farhan and Shah Rukh struck gold, with both Don and Don 2 emerging as major blockbusters.

In August 2023, Farhan finally put mon...