Director of Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Don’, Chandra Barot passes away at 86 due to pulmonary fibrosis, his wife confirms

Veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot, the visionary behind the iconic 1978 film Don starring Amitabh Bachchan, passed away at the age of 86 on Sunday. His wife, Deepa Barot, confirmed the news to TOI, sharing, "He had been battling pulmonary fibrosis for the past seven years."

Barot had been receiving treatment at Guru Nanak Hospital under the care of Dr.

Manish Shetty and had previously been admitted to Jaslok Hospital as well. Barot’s journey to cinema was far from conventional. Born into a family that eventually relocated to Dar-es-Salaam, South Africa in the 1930s amid political unrest, he began his professional life working at Barclay's Bank in Tanzania. But his passion lay elsewhere.

The lure of storytelling brought him to India, where he worked under celebrated filmmaker Manoj Kumar, assisting him on notable projects like Purab Aur Pachhim. His leap into direction was marked by a personal promise more than ambition. When he took on Don, it wasn’t just a debut, it was a heartfelt gesture to help his close friend and cinematographer-producer Nariman Irani. That decision would later become a defining moment in Bollywood history, with Don achieving cult status and cementing Barot’s place in the industry. From finance to film sets, Chandra Barot's journey was one of quiet grit and lasting impact