DON (1978): Classic with logical plot hole

Well, we all know Amitabh Bachchan’s Don (1978) was one of the finest movies of its time. And of course who can forget the famous line of Amitabh Bachchan “DON KO PAKADNA MUSHKIL HI NAHI, NAMUMKIN HAI!!”.

DON MOVIE POSTER
Don Movie poster

Don had everything that a classic action movie should have on offer:

  • A Thrilling plot with ups and downs to keep one interested throughout.
  • Powerful Direction (by Chandra Barot), Compelling screenplay (by Javed Akhtar) and decent Music/Lyrics.
  • Backed by Some power pact performances by Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran and Iftekhar.

The Plot

To cut long story short, Plot of the Don Movie can be summarized in a quick way as follows:

  • Police along with DSP D’Silva (Iftekhar) is chasing a smuggler known as DON (Amitabh Bachchan) but barely succeeding.
  • Ramesh (Sharad Kumar) and Kamini (Helen) tries to help the police catch DON, but both get KIA (Killed In Action) by DON.
  • Police again chase DON, and this time he is on run for his life. Wounded DON gets in DSP D’silva’s car but gets killed due to a bullet wound.
  • Now only DSP knows that DON is dead, So in order to catch the whole mafia gang, DSP plans to send a duplicate DON (Vijay who is a look-alike of DON) amongst them.
  • DSP convinces Vijay (Lookalike of DON also played by Amitabh Bachchan) to help the police and in return, he offers to take care of two abandoned children (Deepu and Munni) and arrange schooling for them.
  • Now somehow DON (Vijay) manages to take place in a mafia gang and starts helping the police by collecting vital information.
  • Now, police succeed and catching the whole mafia gang, but in the process, DSP D’silva gets killed and the police also arrest Vijay (DON).
  • As Vijay has no proof that he himself is not DON and he is just helping the police and on the other hand the whole mafia gang comes to know that DON is a faker, a conman, they are also behind Vijay’s life. So now Vijay is trapped from both ends and is on the run for is life from Police as well as the mafia gang.
  • This sets up the story very nicely and it goes for some further twists towards the end.

A Small Plot Hole

When DSP D’silva convinces Vijay to become fake DON and take his place in the mafia gang, In return he trades to take care of two abandoned children Deepu and Munni and have them admitted for schooling. That is where a small plot hole arises.

Don movie
DSP D’silva arresting JJ in hospital
  • In the first instance, when DSP D’silva arrests JJ (pran) for a robbery, he arrests him from a hospital where JJ’s wife is dying. So the question is if the police arrest JJ, How can the police not know about a dying wife of JJ? How can the police not know his residence where two children (Deepu and Munni) are waiting for their father to return from the hospital? In this shot, JJ begs the police to let him use the money for his wife’s survival. Similarly, JJ may have begged for his lonely children also. So in this instance, DSP D’silva should have been aware that who is Deepu and Munni and made sure they never get abandoned and in turn, Vijay never comes to the police station to report and DSP D’Silva may never have known about Vijay.
DON movie
D’silva remembering about vijay and two kids
DON MOVIE dsp d'silva
D’silva tearing down vijay’s report
  • In the second instance, as DSP D’Silva himself describes to his colleague while remembering about Vijay that a man (Vijay) came to his office in past to report about two abandoned children. He also finds that report in the register and tears it down before setting his plan in motion. Now the question is when Vijay brought two abandoned children and came to his office, he might have asked those children their name and their parent’s name. ( It may be noted that Deepu and Munni are old enough to tell police about their father, his name JJ, and his profession, a circus rope artist). So at this point also, DSP D’silva may easily have found the connection between those kids and JJ who is in jail for robbery, and trade between Vijay and DSP may not have happened.
DON MOVIE
DSP D’silva
  • In the third instance when DSP D’silva has arranged hostel and schooling for Deepu and Munni in return for Vijay to become DON, he might have easily came to know about parent’s name of Deepu and Munni while getting them admitted to a school or hostel and easily known that they are JJ’s kids. So how come DSP D’silva still doesn’t know that these are JJ’s kids?

If these instances had gone right logically, the trade between DSP and Vijay may not have happened and we the movie lovers might not have the luxury to watch this classic movie. Let us not forget it is still a very great movie.

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