SRK eyeing global audience with ‘Don 2′?

MUMBAI - Shah Rukh Khan’s two action-oriented super-slick movies — “Ra.One” and “Don 2″ — will release globally within a week of one another in December. Apparently there are plans to put together an international version of Farhan Akhtar’s ferocious and flamboyant flick so that SRK can come face to face with Tom Cruises “Mission Impossible 4″.

And to prove how global in execution “Don 2″ is, heres the thing. A car chase sequence featuring Shah Rukh shot in Berlin last month was so steep and dangerous it damaged one of the expensive cameras that had been requisitioned to capture the heart-in-the-mouth stunt. Luckily no one was hurt.

While in the first part, Don wanted to take over the crime syndicate in India, in ‘Don 2′ the Don wants to capture the entire European market. Shah Rukhs character is no longer an Indian crimelord wanted in 11 countries. He is portrayed as a European gangster, replete with all the trappings of an international kingpin, said a source.

The magnitude of the characters power and the external trappings of his prosperity have been captured in “Don 2″ by deploying a budget that leaves behind all other Indian films on international crime.

To play the European kingpin, Farhan and Shah Rukh apparently studied the lives and lifestyles of various international crimelords.

It was one thing for Shah Rukh to portray the Indian don wanted in 11 countries. In ‘Don 2′, his character wants to rule Europe. Shah Rukhs clothes, cars, girls, gadgets, body language and perfume had to convey a global aura, said a source.

“Don 2″ is said to be assembled on an international scale. And there would probably be a full-scale international version of the film for an NRI global market with the songs eliminated and the drama reduced.

Veteran actor Om Puri, who reprises his role of the police inspector from the first part, admits everything in “Don 2″ is upscaled.

I cant tell you the plot. But I will reveal one thing. In a lift together, just when my character tells Priyanka Chopra he is going to retire, the lift door opens and my character stands face to face with Don. Thats when my dreams of leaving the police force ends and the chase begins.

Om says most of his scenes in “Don 2″ are with Priyanka.

Mine is not a lengthy role. But its an important role. I wasnt part of the chase sequence that you mention. But yes, it was unlike anything seen in Hindi films. And yes, a camera did get damaged. But no one got hurt.

The actor is all praise for Farhan and his unit.

Unlike other Bollywood locations on a foreign location, the stars and the crew were not put up in separate hotels. All of us including the technical crew and junior artistes stayed in the same hotel in Berlin, though the unit members, unlike the stars, had to share rooms. Ive hardly ever worked with a more professional efficient and hospitable unit.

“Every detail in Berlin was looked into in advance and there were no last-minute glitches. The entire schedule of about a month went off smoothly, said Om Puri.