Amitabh Bachchan recalls the challenging reality behind filming ‘Khaike Paan Banaras Wala’ in the 1978 hit Don
‘Khaike Paan Banaras Wala’ from Amitabh Bachchan’s 1978 classic Don remains one of Hindi cinema’s most beloved songs. Sung by Kishore Kumar, the energetic track has continued to entertain audiences for decades. But behind the fun and vibrancy of the song lies an unexpected challenge Amitabh Bachchan faced during its filming—one he recently recalled on Kaun Banega Crorepati 17.
While speaking to a contestant, the actor shared that he actually burned the inside of his mouth while shooting the song, as he had to repeatedly chew paan across several takes. Amitabh explained, “We shot that song for four days. There were at least 40–50 shots. Each shot had 3–4 retakes. Every time I had to chew that paan with katha and chuna, and my condition became terrible from chewing it again and again.”
He went on to share how continuity demands made the process even tougher. “The director said, ‘Sir, your mouth was moving in the previous shot, it should move here too. Make your lips look red.’ So I had to eat it again and again. It took me a month to heal my mouth. Everything had burned. When chuna gets into the mouth, it burns. But it was a lot of fun doing it,” Amitabh added.
The song’s authentic look required him to keep chewing paan throughout the shoot, which resulted in severe irritation but also contributed to the song’s memorable on-screen effect.
In addition to ‘Khaike Paan Banaras Wala’, Don also featured another evergreen track, ‘Main Hoon Don’. Directed by Chandra Barot, the film starred Amitabh Bachchan in a double role, along with Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar and Om Shivpuri in significant roles. Over the years, Don has remained a landmark film in Amitabh’s career, celebrated for its music, performances and gripping storyline.
The post Amitabh Bachchan recalls the challenging reality behind filming ‘Khaike Paan Banaras Wala’ in the 1978 hit Don appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
