How Amitabh Bachchan's 'Don' Became an Iconic Blockbuster After Rejections

• The 1978 crime thriller Don, starring Amitabh Bachchan, was initially rejected by 12 producers and superstars Dev Anand, Dharmendra, and Jeetendra.
• Jeetendra, one of the actors who rejected the role, later recommended Amitabh Bachchan for the dual role and personally called him to take it up.
• Written by Salim-Javed, the script was given for free to producer Nariman Irani, who was in debt; he tragically passed away during production.
• Nariman Irani's wife, Salma Irani, mortgaged their home to complete the film, with financial support from the cast, including Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman, who initially worked for free.
• Despite a slow start due to Amitabh's other hit 'Trishul' running concurrently, 'Don' became a blockbuster through strong word-of-mouth, earning ₹7.20 crore worldwide on a ₹1 crore budget.

Why It Matters: Amitabh Bachchan's 'Don' overcame numerous rejections and tragedies to become a timeless classic.