Ram Gopal Varma’s compelling violent family saga, loosely inspired by The Godfather is a sociological study of violence, power, honour and obligation, set on the mean streets of Mumbai and dominated by a host of swaggering performances. Aging ‘Sarkar’ (or Don) Subhash Nagare, (Amitabh Bachchan in a powerhouse performance) is head of the Nagare family working outside the system due to exclusion by social prejudice.
His embattled clan is soon under threat by rival criminal individuals who combine family loyalty and blood ties with brutal and vengeful bloodletting in an attempt to overthrow the family. Coaxing outstanding performances from his cast, Varma clearly demonstrates the harsh realities of Mumbai’s criminal world. Even more impressive are the gripping and immensely violent action sequences not usually found in Bollywood.