Dholakia’s film eyes a 2015 Eid release.
By Prabhav Hiremath
MUMBAI: Audience and critics have appreciated Shah Rukh Khan for his acting and Farhan Akhtar for his directing talent in Don and Don 2. Come 2015, they will have tough time deciding whom to root for, as both will be seen as co-stars in ‘Raees.’
The film, to be directed by Rahul Dholakia of ‘Parzania’ fame, will feature SRK as a bootlegger and Akhtar as a cop. Rahul has not only managed to get these two giants on board for the film but also has become the first director to conquer the Eid 2015 slot for release.
In an attempt to increase the hype and curiosity, the director refused to furnish any further details on the film except revealing that the film is to go on floors from mid-2014 and is being set in Gujarat.
This is the first time when Khan and Akhtar will be seen together on screen in lead roles. Before Raees came upon, they have worked together as actor-director combo. Akhtar directed and co-produced the mega remake Don (2006) and directed and co-wrote its sequel, Don 2 (2011) with SRK in and as Don. Eventually, Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment, the producer of Don 2, will be producing Raees too.
Khan comes into the media limelight as soon as he takes up or does something new and signing Raees is no exception. The director is keen to get SRK into Gujarati styled Don avatar whereas the look for Akhtar is yet to be decided or revealed.
Currently, Rukh is busy finishing Farah Khan’s ‘Happy New Year’, expected to release in October 2014.
Don released worldwide on 20 October 2006, and screened at the Berlin Film Festival. Upon release, the film received mixed critical response. However, it grossed over Rs. 1.04 billion worldwide. Don 2 was released on 25 December 2011 by Reliance Entertainment in 2D and 3D formats, which included dubbed versions in Tamil and Telugu. It is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time, with a worldwide revenue of Rs. 230 crore (US$35 million) from all versions, according to the makers.
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