The Don (2006 film)

The Don is a 2006 Indian Malayalam-language gangster film directed by Shaji Kailas from a story written by J. Pallassery. It stars an ensemble cast of Dileep and Lal.

The Don
DVD Cover
Directed by	Shaji Kailas
Written by	J. Pallassery
Produced by	S. Chandrakumar
Starring	Dileep Lal
Cinematography	Sanjeev Sankar
Edited by	Don Max
Music by	Mohan Sithara C. Rajamani (background score)
Production company	Malavika Films
Release date	September 5, 2006 (2006-09-05)
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

The Don was released on 5 September 2006.^[1][2]

Premise

Unnikrishnan becomes a trusted right hand to Kasim Baba after he saves him from a group of goons. However, when Kasim gets killed by his nephew, Sulaiman, Unni gets accused of the murder and is arrested. He decides to prove his innocence and avenge Kasim's death, by killing his murderers.

Cast

• Dileep as Unnikrishnan (Salaam)
• Lal as Kasim Baba
• Saikumar as Advocate Subramaniam Swami
• Maniyanpilla Raju as MLA Abdullah Kutty
• Harisree Ashokan as Mani, Unni's friend
• Gopika as Shahida
• Chitra Shenoy as Baba's wife
• Bheeman Raghu as Sikandar
• Baburaj as Abutty
• Lalu Alex as Jail Superintendent Vishwanathan
• Kazan Khan as Sharon Bhai
• Spadikam George as DYSP Anirudhan
• Shammi Thilakan as Sulaiman, Baba's nephew
• Subair as Koya Sahib
• Sreejith Ravi as Vasu, Unni's friend
• Anil Murali as Joji, Unni's friend
• Augustine as Kabir Bhai
• Sukumari as Devakiamma

Production

This film marks the first collaboration between Shaji Kailas and Dileep.^[3] Pooja was initially considered to be the heroine. However, the role went to Gopika.^[3][4]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Mohan Sithara.^[5]

• "Chandanatheril" - M. G. Sreekumar, Jyotsna Radhakrishnan (lyrics by Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma)
• "The Don (Theme)"

Release

The Don was scheduled to release before Onam but was pushed to the first week of September.^[3][6]

Critical response

Paresh C. Palicha of Rediff.com gave the film a rating of one out of five stars and wrote "The Don is simply a hotchpotch of many action-drama films, clumsily put together".^[7] A critic from Webindia123 wrote that "It may be better for Dileep to stop trying to become an action hero".^[8] A critic from Indiaglitz stated that "The screenplay of Pallaserry offers nothing new. And with the song which arrives an hour into the proceedings, the tempo slackens".^[9] Unni Nair of Nowrunning said that "The Don is not his [Shaji Kailas'] worst effort yet".^[10]

Future

Dileep and Shaji Kailas were reported to collaborate again for another film produced by Dileep which did not materialise.^[11][12]

References

1. "New themes, new films". The Hindu. 7 November 2006. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
2. Rohini (31 July 2017). "ദിലീപിന്റെ മരുന്ന് പണ്ടേ തീര്‍ന്നതാണ്.. 2000 മുതലിങ്ങോട്ട് പ്രേക്ഷകരെ വെറുപ്പിച്ച് 34 സിനിമകള്‍". Filmibeat (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
3. "Previews: The Don (2006)". Webindia123. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
4. "Pooja is the heroine of Dileep in Don". Sify. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
5. "List of Malayalam Songs from the movie The Don". Malayalachalachitram.
6. "The Don". BizHat. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
7. Palicha, Paresh C (4 September 2006). "Dileep's Don is very disappointing". Rediff. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
8. "The Don (2006)". Webindia123. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
9. "The Don Review". Indiaglitz. 7 September 2006. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
10. Nair, Unni (8 September 2006). "The Don Malayalam Movie". Nowrunning. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
11. "Dileep - Shaji Kailas team up again". Nowrunning. 20 December 2006. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
12. "ഷാജി കൈലാസിന്‍റെ ആക്ഷന്‍ പടം, ദിലീപ് നായകന്‍!". Webdunia (in Malayalam).